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Government control and the value of cash: evidence from listed firms in China

Author

Listed:
  • Xinyu Yu

    (Keele University)

  • Ping Wang

    (University of Birmingham)

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the impact of government control on investors’ valuation of cash held by listed firms in China. We find strong and robust evidence that government control leads to a lower value of cash. Further evidence suggests that this negative impact is associated with significant agency costs of political expropriation rather than low financial constraints of the soft-budget effect. Moreover, our extended analyses reveal that the negative impact of government control on the value of cash depends on regional institutional development. In particular, in regions with high institutional development, government control reduces the value of cash, while in areas that are less developed, this negative impact is attenuated to some extent. Overall, our findings shed new light and add a further dimension to the literature, broadening our understanding of the impact of government intervention on the listed firms under its control.

Suggested Citation

  • Xinyu Yu & Ping Wang, 2020. "Government control and the value of cash: evidence from listed firms in China," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 1341-1369, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:rqfnac:v:55:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s11156-020-00876-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11156-020-00876-y
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Government control; Value of cash; Political expropriation; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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