IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/ijfiec/v28y2023i2p1965-1980.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Controlling shareholders' influence on acquisition decisions and value creation: An empirical study from China

Author

Listed:
  • Evans Opoku‐Mensah
  • Yuming Yin

Abstract

Controlling shareholders are capable of influencing major decisions in firms, and their existence may give rise to principal‐to‐principal conflict as minority shareholders may feel sidelined during decision‐making. This study employs a proxy (the highest control right), which takes into consideration both direct and indirect controls to investigate the excess cash usage preference of controlling shareholders. Again, the study investigates how the background characteristics of different controlling shareholders influence their underlying firms' acquisition decisions. With observations from 13,293 Chinese firms and the random effect probit model, we find that controlling shareholders are more likely to influence the use of excess cash into acquisition activities other than to retain such cash in the firm possibly for the payment of a dividend. Furthermore, we observe that the traditional way of classifying firms into either private or state is misleading, and the use of excess cash is influenced by the unique characteristics of the true owner. We recommend that on‐going reforms in China should consider encouraging more institutional investors to acquire shares as this will reduce the powers of controlling owners.

Suggested Citation

  • Evans Opoku‐Mensah & Yuming Yin, 2023. "Controlling shareholders' influence on acquisition decisions and value creation: An empirical study from China," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(2), pages 1965-1980, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:ijfiec:v:28:y:2023:i:2:p:1965-1980
    DOI: 10.1002/ijfe.2520
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/ijfe.2520
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/ijfe.2520?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mara Faccio & Ronald W. Masulis, 2005. "The Choice of Payment Method in European Mergers and Acquisitions," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(3), pages 1345-1388, June.
    2. Ahern, Kenneth R., 2009. "Sample selection and event study estimation," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 466-482, June.
    3. Sun, Zhe & Vinig, Tsvi & Hosman, Thomas Daniël, 2017. "The financing of Chinese outbound mergers and acquisitions: Is there a distortion between state-owned enterprises and privately owned enterprises?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(PA), pages 377-388.
    4. Daecheon Yang, 2015. "Mergers, CEO Hubris, and Cost Stickiness," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(S5), pages 46-63, September.
    5. Arosa, Blanca & Iturralde, Txomin & Maseda, Amaia, 2010. "Ownership structure and firm performance in non-listed firms: Evidence from Spain," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 88-96, June.
    6. Flávio de Freitas Val & Marcelo Cabus Klotzle & Antonio Carlos Figueiredo Pinto & Claudio Henrique da Silveira Barbedo, 2018. "Stock Market Reaction to Monetary Policy: An Event Study Analysis of the Brazilian Case," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(11), pages 2577-2595, September.
    7. Huang, Juan Juan & Shen, Yifeng & Sun, Qian, 2011. "Nonnegotiable shares, controlling shareholders, and dividend payments in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 122-133, February.
    8. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    9. Tao, Qizhi & Li, Haoyu & Wu, Qun & Zhang, Ting & Zhu, Yingjun, 2019. "The dark side of board network centrality: Evidence from merger performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 215-232.
    10. Jensen, Michael C, 1986. "Agency Costs of Free Cash Flow, Corporate Finance, and Takeovers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(2), pages 323-329, May.
    11. Harford, Jarrad & Humphery-Jenner, Mark & Powell, Ronan, 2012. "The sources of value destruction in acquisitions by entrenched managers," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(2), pages 247-261.
    12. Kun Wang & Greg Shailer, 2015. "Ownership Concentration And Firm Performance In Emerging Markets: A Meta-Analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 199-229, April.
    13. Peng, Winnie Qian & Wei, K.C. John & Yang, Zhishu, 2011. "Tunneling or propping: Evidence from connected transactions in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 306-325, April.
    14. Wei, Gang & Xiao, Jason Zezhong, 2009. "Equity ownership segregation, shareholder preferences, and dividend policy in China," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 169-183.
    15. Kinateder, Harald & Fabich, Matthias & Wagner, Niklas, 2017. "Domestic mergers and acquisitions in BRICS countries: Acquirers and targets," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 190-199.
    16. Gutiérrez Calderón, María Isabel & Tribo Gine, José Antonio, 2004. "Private benefits extraction in closely-held corporations: the case for multiple large shareholders," DEE - Working Papers. Business Economics. WB wb044315, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía de la Empresa.
    17. Bhaumik, Sumon Kumar & Selarka, Ekta, 2012. "Does ownership concentration improve M&A outcomes in emerging markets?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 717-726.
    18. Liu, Chunyan & Uchida, Konari & Yang, Yufeng, 2014. "Controlling shareholder, split-share structure reform and cash dividend payments in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 339-357.
    19. Borochin, Paul & Cu, Wei Hua, 2018. "Alternative corporate governance: Domestic media coverage of mergers and acquisitions in China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 1-25.
    20. Bilei Zhou & Jie (Michael) Guo & Jun Hua & Angelos J. Doukas, 2015. "Does State Ownership Drive M&A Performance? Evidence from China," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 21(1), pages 79-105, January.
    21. Evans Opoku-Mensah & Yuming Yin & Asantewaa Ampofo Sandra & Priscilla Tuffour, 2019. "Mergers and Acquisitions Antecedents in BRICS," Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, Emerging Markets Forum, vol. 11(3), pages 202-214, September.
    22. Chen, Gongmeng & Firth, Michael & Xu, Liping, 2009. "Does the type of ownership control matter? Evidence from China's listed companies," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 171-181, January.
    23. Zou, Hong & Wong, Sonia & Shum, Clement & Xiong, Jun & Yan, Jun, 2008. "Controlling-minority shareholder incentive conflicts and directors' and officers' liability insurance: Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(12), pages 2636-2645, December.
    24. Cai, Weixing & Lee, Edward & Wu, Zhenyu & Xu, Alice Liang & Zeng, Cheng (Colin), 2017. "Do Economic Incentives of Controlling Shareholders Influence Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure? A Natural Experiment," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 238-250.
    25. Jiang, Guohua & Lee, Charles M.C. & Yue, Heng, 2010. "Tunneling through intercorporate loans: The China experience," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 1-20, October.
    26. Lin, Yongjia Rebecca & Fu, Xiaoqing Maggie, 2017. "Does institutional ownership influence firm performance? Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 17-57.
    27. A. Craig MacKinlay, 1997. "Event Studies in Economics and Finance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 35(1), pages 13-39, March.
    28. Du, Min & Boateng, Agyenim, 2015. "State ownership, institutional effects and value creation in cross-border mergers & acquisitions by Chinese firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 430-442.
    29. Jiao, Yang & Rao, Xi & Guo, Shijun & Alhaj-Yaseen, Yaseen S., 2018. "Speak out your risk: Dialectal effects on merger decisions," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 200-212.
    30. Nabila Nisha & Bikramaditya Ghosh, 2018. "Causal relationship between leverage and performance: exploring Dhaka Stock Exchange," International Journal of Business and Globalisation, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 20(1), pages 31-49.
    31. Yang, Junhong & Guariglia, Alessandra & Guo, Jie (Michael), 2019. "To what extent does corporate liquidity affect M&A decisions, method of payment and performance? Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 128-152.
    32. Jianan Guo, 2016. "Ultimate Controlling Shareholders and Dividend Payout Policy in Chinese Stock Market," Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies (RPBFMP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 19(02), pages 1-35, June.
    33. Lebedev, Sergey & Peng, Mike W. & Xie, En & Stevens, Charles E., 2015. "Mergers and acquisitions in and out of emerging economies," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 651-662.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liu, Chunyan & Uchida, Konari & Yang, Yufeng, 2014. "Controlling shareholder, split-share structure reform and cash dividend payments in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 339-357.
    2. Yang, Junhong & Guariglia, Alessandra & Guo, Jie (Michael), 2019. "To what extent does corporate liquidity affect M&A decisions, method of payment and performance? Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 128-152.
    3. Dong, Liping & Uchida, Konari & Hou, Xiaohong, 2020. "Are future capital gain opportunities important in the market for corporate control? Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    4. Dong, Liping & Uchida, Konari & Hou, Xiaohong, 2014. "Block trade targets in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 188-201.
    5. Evans Opoku‐Mensah & Yuming Yin & Sandra Chukwudumebi Obiora & Peter Adjei Darko, 2022. "Grabbing hand or helping hand? Ownership interventions and acquirers returns; the role of provincial idiosyncrasies," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(4), pages 4797-4815, October.
    6. Anderson, Hamish & Chi, Jing & Liao, Jing, 2019. "Foreign strategic ownership and minority shareholder protection," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 34-49.
    7. Faff, Robert & Prasadh, Shyaam & Shams, Syed, 2019. "Merger and acquisition research in the Asia-Pacific region: A review of the evidence and future directions," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 267-278.
    8. Amon Chizema & Wei Jiang & Jing-Ming Kuo & Xiaoqi Song, 2020. "Mutual funds, tunneling and firm performance: evidence from China," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 55(1), pages 355-387, July.
    9. Agyenim Boateng & XiaoGang Bi & Sanjukta Brahma, 2017. "The impact of firm ownership, board monitoring on operating performance of Chinese mergers and acquisitions," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 49(4), pages 925-948, November.
    10. Fang, Tian Jin & Han, Jianlei & He, Jing & Shi, Jing, 2021. "Property rights protection and mergers and acquisitions," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    11. Yung, Kenneth & Jian, Yi, 2017. "Effects of the shareholder base on firm behavior and firm value in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 370-385.
    12. Wang, Kun Tracy & Shailer, Greg, 2022. "Multiple performance criteria for government-controlled firms," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 75-96.
    13. Paul‐Olivier Klein & Laurent Weill, 2018. "Bond offerings in China : The role of ownership," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 26(3), pages 363-399, July.
    14. Chao Kevin Li, 2021. "Wealth effects of dividend regulation: Evidence from China," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 46(2), pages 197-223, May.
    15. Li, Wanli & Zhou, Jingting & Yan, Ziqiao & Zhang, He, 2020. "Controlling shareholder share pledging and firm cash dividends," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    16. Jianan Guo, 2016. "Ultimate Controlling Shareholders and Dividend Payout Policy in Chinese Stock Market," Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies (RPBFMP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 19(02), pages 1-35, June.
    17. Evans Opoku-Mensah & Yuming Yin & Asantewaa Ampofo Sandra & Priscilla Tuffour, 2019. "Mergers and Acquisitions Antecedents in BRICS," Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, Emerging Markets Forum, vol. 11(3), pages 202-214, September.
    18. Godlewski, Christophe J. & Turk-Ariss, Rima & Weill, Laurent, 2013. "Sukuk vs. conventional bonds: A stock market perspective," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 745-761.
    19. Beladi, Hamid & Hu, May & Li, Silei & Yang, JingJing, 2022. "Dual-class share structure on the dividend payout policy: Evidence from China Concepts Stocks," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    20. Renneboog, Luc & Vansteenkiste, Cara, 2019. "Failure and success in mergers and acquisitions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 650-699.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:ijfiec:v:28:y:2023:i:2:p:1965-1980. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.interscience.wiley.com/jpages/1076-9307/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.