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On the Motivation for Paying Scrip Dividends

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  • M. Ameziane Lasfer

Abstract

Firms in the United Kingdom that pay scrip (i.e., in stock) dividends do not appear to be following optimal dividend policies. Scrip dividends are not driven by tax considerations or cash shortages. The payment of scrip dividends exacerbates the agency costs of free cash flow.

Suggested Citation

  • M. Ameziane Lasfer, 1997. "On the Motivation for Paying Scrip Dividends," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 26(1), Spring.
    • Handle: RePEc:fma:fmanag:lasfer97
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    Cited by:

    1. Adaoglu, Cahit, 2006. "Market reaction to "unsweetened" and "sweetened" rights offerings in an emerging European stock market," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 249-268, July.
    2. repec:dau:papers:123456789/15219 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Feito-Ruiz, Isabel & Renneboog, Luc & Vansteenkiste, Cara, 2020. "Elective stock and scrip dividends," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    4. Cahit Adaoglu & Meziane Lasfer, 2011. "Why Do Companies Pay Stock Dividends? The Case of Bonus Distributions in an Inflationary Environment," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(5-6), pages 601-627, June.
    5. von Eije, Henk & Megginson, William L., 2008. "Dividends and share repurchases in the European Union," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(2), pages 347-374, August.
    6. David, Thomas & Ginglinger, Edith, 2016. "When cutting dividends is not bad news: The case of optional stock dividends," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 174-191.
    7. Abraham, Mathew & Marsden, Alastair & Poskitt, Russell, 2015. "Determinants of a firm's decision to utilize a dividend reinvestment plan and shareholder participation rates: Australian evidence," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 57-77.
    8. Hussein Abedi Shamsabadi & Byung-Seong Min & Richard Chung, 2016. "Corporate governance and dividend strategy: lessons from Australia," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(5), pages 583-610, October.
    9. Choy, HiuLam & Gul, Ferdinand A. & Yao, Jun, 2011. "Does political economy reduce agency costs? Some evidence from dividend policies around the world," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 16-35, January.
    10. David Blanco‐Alcántara & Jorge Gallud‐Cano & Félix J. López‐Iturriaga & Óscar López‐de‐Foronda, 2022. "Have European banks maintained their payout policy during the crisis? The role of scrip dividends," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(4), pages 4619-4632, October.
    11. Dennis Oswald & Steven Young, 2008. "Tax‐efficient irregular payout methods: The case of B share schemes and capital repayments via a court‐approved scheme of arrangement," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(1), pages 49-70.
    12. Sophie Manigart & Koen De Waele, 1999. "Choice dividends and contemporaneous earnings announcements on a small stock market: an empirical study," Brussels Economic Review, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles, vol. 161, pages 27-56.

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