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Foreign Ownership and Performance: Evidence from Italian Firms

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  • Chiara Bentivogli
  • Litterio Mirenda

Abstract

This paper studies the impact of foreign ownership on a firm’s economic performance. We use a unique panel data set to test the foreign ownership premium by comparing our sample of firms based in Italy and owned by a foreign subject to a sample of purely domestic firms that, in order to have a proper counterfactual, were selected using propensity score matching. Our difference-in-differences results show the existence of a premium for the size, profitability, and financial soundness of the foreign-owned companies. The premium increases with time, is concentrated in the service sector, and disappears if the foreign investor is based in a fiscal haven.

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  • Chiara Bentivogli & Litterio Mirenda, 2017. "Foreign Ownership and Performance: Evidence from Italian Firms," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 251-273, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ijecbs:v:24:y:2017:i:3:p:251-273
    DOI: 10.1080/13571516.2017.1343542
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    2. Alexandra Horobet & Lucian Belascu & Ștefania Cristina Curea & Alma Pentescu, 2019. "Ownership Concentration and Performance Recovery Patterns in the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-31, February.
    3. Lorenzo Bencivelli & Beniamino Pisicoli, 2021. "Foreign investors and target firms’ financial structure: cavalry or locusts?," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1327, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    4. Aziz Jaafar & Lynn Hodgkinson & Mao-Feng Kao, 2019. "Ownership Structure, Board of Directors and Firm Performance: Evidence from Taiwan," Working Papers 19011, Bangor Business School, Prifysgol Bangor University (Cymru / Wales).
    5. Lorenzo Bencivelli & Beniamino Pisicoli, 2022. "Foreign investors and target firms’ financial structure," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 169, pages 230-251.
    6. Campagnolo, Diego & Vincenti, Giampiero, 2022. "Cross-border M&As: The impact of cultural friction and CEO change on the performance of acquired companies," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    7. Svilena Mihaylova, 2023. "Foreign Affiliates versus Domestic Firms in the Information and Communication Services Sector in Central and Eastern Europe," Bulgarian Economic Papers bep-2023-04, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski - Bulgaria // Center for Economic Theories and Policies at Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, revised Mar 2023.
    8. Gaygysyz Ashyrov & Nicolas Gavoille & Kjetil Haukås & Rasmus Bøgh Holmen & Jaan Masso, 2024. "Foreign Ownership And Productivity: A Comparative Study Of Estonia, Latvia And Norway," University of Tartu - Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Working Paper Series 148, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu (Estonia).
    9. Beccari, Gabriele & Pisicoli, Beniamino & Vocalelli, Giorgio, 2023. "Barbarians at the gate? FDI and target firms’ management quality," MPRA Paper 117242, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Edmund Mallinguh & Christopher Wasike & Zeman Zoltan, 2020. "The Business Sector, Firm Age, and Performance: The Mediating Role of Foreign Ownership and Financial Leverage," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-16, December.
    11. Ali Shaddady & Faisal Alnori, 2020. "Do Ownership Structure, Political Connections and Executive Compensation Have Multifaceted Effects on Firm Performance? An Alternative Approach," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(10), pages 1-22, October.
    12. Xiaojian Hu & Gang Yao & Taiyun Zhou, 2022. "Does ownership structure affect the optimal capital structure? A PSTR model for China," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(2), pages 2458-2480, April.
    13. Mina Baliamoune‐Lutz & Mohamed A. K. Basuony & Stefan H. H. Lutz & Ehab K. A. Mohamed, 2024. "International ownership and SMEs in Middle Eastern and African economies," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 36(2), pages 279-291, June.
    14. Marek Csabay & Zuzana Vincúrová & Milan Stoch & Beáta Stehlíková, 2021. "Enterprise ownership patterns in the least developed districts of Slovakia," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 16(4), pages 807-838, December.
    15. Catão, Luis A. V. & de Faria, Pedro & Martins, António & Portela, Miguel, 2023. "Globalization and Firm Performance," IZA Discussion Papers 15903, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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