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The Effects of Multinationals’ Profit Shifting Activities on Real Investments

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  • Overesch, Michael

Abstract

This paper investigates whether the size of multinationals’ real investments in a high–tax country is affected by profit–shifting activities. Tax rates in locations other than the host country impact the cost of capital for multinational companies that shift profits. As profit–shifting opportunities constitute a competitive advantage, the respective size of investments should theoretically increase if profits can be shifted to a lower–taxing country. An empirical analysis based on a panel of German inbound investments confirms a positive tax response of real investments with an increasing tax rate differential between the host country and the foreign direct investor’s home country. Hence, the results suggest that the size of foreign investments in a high–tax country is positively affected by a lower taxation of shifted profits.

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  • Overesch, Michael, 2009. "The Effects of Multinationals’ Profit Shifting Activities on Real Investments," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 62(1), pages 5-23, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:ntj:journl:v:62:y:2009:i:1:p:5-23
    DOI: 10.17310/ntj.2009.1.01
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    1. Altshuler, Rosanne & Grubert, Harry, 2003. "Repatriation taxes, repatriation strategies and multinational financial policy," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 73-107, January.
    2. Mihir A. Desai & C. Fritz Foley & James R. Hines, Jr., 2003. "A Multinational Perspective on Capital Structure Choice and Internal Capital Markets," NBER Working Papers 9715, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Harry Grubert & Joel Slemrod, 1998. "The Effect Of Taxes On Investment And Income Shifting To Puerto Rico," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 80(3), pages 365-373, August.
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