IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finana/v46y2016icp113-123.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Nonlinear association between ownership concentration and leverage: The role of family control

Author

Listed:
  • Lo, Huai-Chun
  • Ting, Irene Wei Kiong
  • Kweh, Qian Long
  • Yang, Ming Jing

Abstract

The 2008–2009 global financial crisis and the European debt crisis have raised further questions on leverage decision making. In this regard, this study examines the association between concentration of controlling rights and leverage in the presence of families. This study also assesses the role played by families in moderating the nonlinear reversed U-shaped association between concentration of controlling rights and debt ratio. Publicly listed companies in Taiwan, which is a nation characterized by weak protection for minority shareholders, are studied for the period of 1999 to 2014. The effect of the nonlinear inverted U shape is confirmed, and the weakened effect of the existence of family control is presented. The results remain unchanged in several alternative tests, including addressing the endogeneity issue of ownership–decision studies. Overall, this study highlights the ownership–debt relationship in a nation with weak protection of minority shareholders.

Suggested Citation

  • Lo, Huai-Chun & Ting, Irene Wei Kiong & Kweh, Qian Long & Yang, Ming Jing, 2016. "Nonlinear association between ownership concentration and leverage: The role of family control," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 113-123.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:46:y:2016:i:c:p:113-123
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2016.04.013
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1057521916300746
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.irfa.2016.04.013?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paligorova, Teodora & Xu, Zhaoxia, 2012. "Complex ownership and capital structure," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 701-716.
    2. Nguyen, Tuan & Locke, Stuart & Reddy, Krishna, 2015. "Ownership concentration and corporate performance from a dynamic perspective: Does national governance quality matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 148-161.
    3. Anderson, Ronald C. & Mansi, Sattar A. & Reeb, David M., 2003. "Founding family ownership and the agency cost of debt," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 263-285, May.
    4. Jaggi, Bikki & Leung, Sidney & Gul, Ferdinand, 2009. "Family control, board independence and earnings management: Evidence based on Hong Kong firms," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 281-300, July.
    5. Lee, Cheng-Few & Kuo, Nan-Ting, 2014. "Effects of ultimate ownership structure and corporate tax on capital structures: Evidence from Taiwan," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 409-425.
    6. 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.
    7. de La Bruslerie, Hubert & Latrous, Imen, 2012. "Ownership structure and debt leverage: Empirical test of a trade-off hypothesis on French firms," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 111-130.
    8. Francisco Sogorb-Mira, 2005. "How SME Uniqueness Affects Capital Structure: Evidence From A 1994–1998 Spanish Data Panel," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 447-457, December.
    9. González, Maximiliano & Guzmán, Alexander & Pombo, Carlos & Trujillo, María-Andrea, 2013. "Family firms and debt: Risk aversion versus risk of losing control," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(11), pages 2308-2320.
    10. Chi, Ching Wen & Hung, Ken & Cheng, Hui Wen & Tien Lieu, Pang, 2015. "Family firms and earnings management in Taiwan: Influence of corporate governance," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 88-98.
    11. Wiwattanakantang, Yupana, 1999. "An empirical study on the determinants of the capital structure of Thai firms," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 7(3-4), pages 371-403, August.
    12. King, Michael R. & Santor, Eric, 2008. "Family values: Ownership structure, performance and capital structure of Canadian firms," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 2423-2432, November.
    13. Li, Ke & Lu, Lei & Mittoo, Usha R. & Zhang, Zhou, 2015. "Board independence, ownership concentration and corporate performance—Chinese evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 162-175.
    14. Aldrich, Howard E. & Cliff, Jennifer E., 2003. "The pervasive effects of family on entrepreneurship: toward a family embeddedness perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 573-596, September.
    15. Bany-Ariffin, A.N. & Mat Nor, Fauzias & McGowan Jr., Carl B., 2010. "Pyramidal structure, firm capital structure exploitation and ultimate owners' dominance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 151-164, June.
    16. Diane K. Schooley & L. Dwayne Barney Jr., 1994. "Using Dividend Policy And Managerial Ownership To Reduce Agency Costs," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 17(3), pages 363-373, September.
    17. repec:dau:papers:123456789/11260 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Martin R.W. Hiebl, 2012. "Risk aversion in family firms: what do we really know?," Journal of Risk Finance, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 14(1), pages 49-70, December.
    19. Schooley, Diane K & Barney, L Dwayne, Jr, 1994. "Using Dividend Policy and Managerial Ownership to Reduce Agency Costs," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 17(3), pages 363-373, Fall.
    20. Schmid, Thomas, 2013. "Control considerations, creditor monitoring, and the capital structure of family firms," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 257-272.
    21. Magda Bianco & Maria Bontempi & Roberto Golinelli & Giuseppe Parigi, 2013. "Family firms’ investments, uncertainty and opacity," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 1035-1058, May.
    22. repec:hit:hitjcm:v:56:y:2015:i:1:p:93-115 is not listed on IDEAS
    23. Alberto de Miguel & Julio Pindado & Chabela de la Torre, 2004. "Ownership structure and firm value: new evidence from Spain," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(12), pages 1199-1207, December.
    24. Bennedsen, Morten & Nielsen, Kasper Meisner, 2010. "Incentive and entrenchment effects in European ownership," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(9), pages 2212-2229, September.
    25. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez‐De‐Silanes & Andrei Shleifer, 1999. "Corporate Ownership Around the World," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(2), pages 471-517, April.
    26. Cubbin, John S & Leech, Dennis, 1983. "The Effect of Shareholding Dispersion on the Degree of Control in British Companies: Theory and Measurement," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 93(37), pages 351-369, June.
    27. Fama, Eugene F & MacBeth, James D, 1973. "Risk, Return, and Equilibrium: Empirical Tests," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 81(3), pages 607-636, May-June.
    28. Claessens, Stijn & Djankov, Simeon & Lang, Larry H. P., 2000. "The separation of ownership and control in East Asian Corporations," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1-2), pages 81-112.
    29. Céspedes, Jacelly & González, Maximiliano & Molina, Carlos A., 2010. "Ownership and capital structure in Latin America," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 248-254, March.
    30. Ettore Croci & John A. Doukas & Halit Gonenc, 2011. "Family Control and Financing Decisions," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 17(5), pages 860-897, November.
    31. Timothy J. Brailsford & Barry R. Oliver & Sandra L. H. Pua, 2002. "On the relation between ownership structure and capital structure," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 42(1), pages 1-26, March.
    32. Harris, Milton & Raviv, Artur, 1988. "Corporate control contests and capital structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1-2), pages 55-86, January.
    33. David L. Deephouse & Peter Jaskiewicz, 2013. "Do Family Firms Have Better Reputations Than Non-Family Firms? An Integration of Socioemotional Wealth and Social Identity Theories," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(3), pages 337-360, May.
    34. Villalonga, Belen & Amit, Raphael, 2006. "How do family ownership, control and management affect firm value?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(2), pages 385-417, May.
    35. repec:dau:papers:123456789/9501 is not listed on IDEAS
    36. Stulz, ReneM., 1988. "Managerial control of voting rights : Financing policies and the market for corporate control," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1-2), pages 25-54, January.
    37. Lukas Setia‐Atmaja, 2010. "Dividend and debt policies of family controlled firms," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 6(2), pages 128-142, April.
    38. Berger, Philip G & Ofek, Eli & Yermack, David L, 1997. "Managerial Entrenchment and Capital Structure Decisions," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(4), pages 1411-1438, September.
    39. 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.
    40. Morck, Randall & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W., 1988. "Management ownership and market valuation," Scholarly Articles 29407535, Harvard University Department of Economics.
    41. Leech, Dennis & Leahy, John, 1991. "Ownership Structure, Control Type Classifications and the Performance of Large British Companies," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 101(409), pages 1418-1437, November.
    42. Lin, Chen & Ma, Yue & Malatesta, Paul & Xuan, Yuhai, 2011. "Ownership structure and the cost of corporate borrowing," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(1), pages 1-23, April.
    43. Kweh, Qian Long & Kuo, Kuo-Cheng & Wang, Wei-Kang & Liu, Hsian-Ming, 2015. "Board Independence, Family Control, And Performance In Taiwanese Listed Semiconductor Companies," Hitotsubashi Journal of Economics, Hitotsubashi University, vol. 56(1), pages 93-115, June.
    44. Herrera-Echeverri, Hernán & Geleilate, Jose Galli & Gaitan-Riaño, Sandra & Haar, Jerry & Soto-Echeverry, Nidia, 2016. "Export behavior and board independence in Colombian family firms: The reverse causality relationship," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 2018-2029.
    45. Rajan, Raghuram G & Zingales, Luigi, 1995. "What Do We Know about Capital Structure? Some Evidence from International Data," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 50(5), pages 1421-1460, December.
    46. Leonard Lundstrum, 2009. "Entrenched management, capital structure changes and firm value," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 33(2), pages 161-175, April.
    47. Yin‐hua Yeh & Tsun‐siou Lee & Tracie Woidtke, 2001. "Family Control and Corporate Governance: Evidence from Taiwan," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 2(1‐2), pages 21-48.
    48. Morck, Randall & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W., 1988. "Management ownership and market valuation : An empirical analysis," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1-2), pages 293-315, January.
    49. Alfredo M. Bobillo & Juan A. Rodríguez-Sanz & Fernando Tejerina-Gaite, 2013. "Shareholder activism and internationalization in the family firm," Journal of Business Economics and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(5), pages 867-885, November.
    50. Chandra S. Mishra & Daniel L. Mcconaughy, 1999. "Founding Family Control and Capital Structure: The Risk of Loss of Control and the Aversion to Debt," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 23(4), pages 53-64, July.
    51. Yin-hua Yeh & Tsun-siou Lee & Tracie Woidtke, 2001. "Family Control and Corporate Governance: Evidence from Taiwan," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 2(1&2), pages 21-48.
    52. Barth, Erling & Gulbrandsen, Trygve & Schonea, Pal, 2005. "Family ownership and productivity: the role of owner-management," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 11(1-2), pages 107-127, March.
    53. Hadiye Aslan & Praveen Kumar, 2012. "Strategic Ownership Structure and the Cost of Debt," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 25(7), pages 2257-2299.
    54. Margaritis, Dimitris & Psillaki, Maria, 2010. "Capital structure, equity ownership and firm performance," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 621-632, March.
    55. Alessio Saretto & Heather E. Tookes, 2013. "Corporate Leverage, Debt Maturity, and Credit Supply: The Role of Credit Default Swaps," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 26(5), pages 1190-1247.
    56. Lin, Chen & Ma, Yue & Malatesta, Paul & Xuan, Yuhai, 2013. "Corporate ownership structure and the choice between bank debt and public debt," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(2), pages 517-534.
    57. Annalisa Prencipe & Sasson Bar-Yosef & Henri C. Dekker, 2014. "Accounting Research in Family Firms: Theoretical and Empirical Challenges," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(3), pages 361-385, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nhung Hong LE, 2017. "The impact of family ownership status on determinants of leverage. Empirical evidence from South East Asia," Working Papers of LaRGE Research Center 2017-09, Laboratoire de Recherche en Gestion et Economie (LaRGE), Université de Strasbourg.
    2. Qian Long Kweh & Irene Wei Kiong Ting & Hanh Thi My Le & Mohammad Nourani, 2021. "Nonlinear impacts of board independence on debt financing: Contingent on the shareholdings of the largest shareholder," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(2), pages 2289-2306, April.
    3. Amin, Qazi Awais & Liu, Jia, 2020. "Shareholders' control rights, family ownership and the firm's leverage decisions," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    4. Ramzi Benkraiem & Amal Hamrouni & Anthony Miloudi & Ali Uyar, 2018. "Access to Finance for French Firms: Do boardroom attributes matter?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(3), pages 1267-1278.
    5. Mertzanis, Charilaos, 2019. "Family ties, institutions and financing constraints in developing countries," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    6. Rehman, Atiqa & Gonenc, Halit & Hermes, Niels, 2023. "Corporate social performance of family firms and shareholder protection: An international analysis," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 14(2).
    7. Jiamin Nie & Shanli Ye, 2022. "Ownership Structure, Corporate Governance, and Performance of Listed Companies—An Empirical Application of a Semi-Parametric Quantile Regression Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-18, December.
    8. Wu, Ming & Ohk, Kiyool & Ko, Kwangsoo, 2019. "Are cash-flow betas really bad? Evidence from the Greater Chinese stock markets," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 58-68.

    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. Amin, Qazi Awais & Liu, Jia, 2020. "Shareholders' control rights, family ownership and the firm's leverage decisions," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    2. Mário Santos & António Moreira & Elisabete Vieira, 2014. "Ownership concentration, contestability, family firms, and capital structure," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 18(4), pages 1063-1107, November.
    3. 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.
    4. de La Bruslerie, Hubert & Latrous, Imen, 2012. "Ownership structure and debt leverage: Empirical test of a trade-off hypothesis on French firms," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 111-130.
    5. Nieves Lidia Díaz‐Díaz & Pedro J. García‐Teruel & Pedro Martínez‐Solano, 2023. "Private family firms, generations and bank debt," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(3), pages 3043-3075, September.
    6. ElBannan, Mona A., 2017. "Stock market liquidity, family ownership, and capital structure choices in an emerging country," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 201-231.
    7. Ding, Wenzhi & Levine, Ross & Lin, Chen & Xie, Wensi, 2021. "Corporate immunity to the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(2), pages 802-830.
    8. César Camisón & José Antonio Clemente & Sergio Camisón-Haba, 2022. "Asset tangibility, information asymmetries and intangibles as determinants of family firms leverage," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(7), pages 2047-2082, October.
    9. David Hillier & Beatriz Martínez & Pankaj C. Patel & Julio Pindado & Ignacio Requejo, 2018. "Pound of Flesh? Debt Contract Strictness and Family Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 42(2), pages 259-282, March.
    10. Nhung Hong LE, 2017. "The impact of family ownership status on determinants of leverage. Empirical evidence from South East Asia," Working Papers of LaRGE Research Center 2017-09, Laboratoire de Recherche en Gestion et Economie (LaRGE), Université de Strasbourg.
    11. Díaz-Díaz, Nieves Lidia & García-Teruel, Pedro J. & Martínez-Solano, Pedro, 2016. "Debt maturity structure in private firms: Does the family control matter?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 393-411.
    12. P. López-Delgado & J. Diéguez-Soto, 2020. "Indebtedness in family-managed firms: the moderating role of female directors on the board," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 727-762, August.
    13. Jannine Poletti‐Hughes & Beatriz Martínez Garcia, 2022. "Leverage in family firms: The moderating role of female directors and board quality," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(1), pages 207-223, January.
    14. Taylan Mavruk & Conny Overland & Stefan Sjögren, 2020. "Keeping it real or keeping it simple? Ownership concentration measures compared," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 26(4), pages 958-1005, September.
    15. Christopher Hansen & Joern Block & Matthias Neuenkirch, 2020. "Family Firm Performance Over The Business Cycle: A Meta‐Analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 476-511, July.
    16. Ampenberger, Markus & Schmid, Thomas & Achleitner, Ann-Kristin & Kaserer, Christoph, 2009. "Capital structure decisions in family firms: empirical evidence from a bank-based economy," CEFS Working Paper Series 2009-05, Technische Universität München (TUM), Center for Entrepreneurial and Financial Studies (CEFS).
    17. Qian Long Kweh & Irene Wei Kiong Ting & Hanh Thi My Le & Mohammad Nourani, 2021. "Nonlinear impacts of board independence on debt financing: Contingent on the shareholdings of the largest shareholder," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(2), pages 2289-2306, April.
    18. Schmid, Thomas, 2013. "Control considerations, creditor monitoring, and the capital structure of family firms," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 257-272.
    19. González, Maximiliano & Guzmán, Alexander & Pombo, Carlos & Trujillo, María-Andrea, 2012. "Family firms and financial performance: The cost of growing," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 626-649.
    20. Paligorova, Teodora & Xu, Zhaoxia, 2012. "Complex ownership and capital structure," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 701-716.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ownership concentration; Controlling rights; Family control; Leverage; Debt ratio; Nonlinear relationship;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • 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
    • L21 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Business Objectives of the Firm

    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:eee:finana:v:46:y:2016:i:c:p:113-123. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620166 .

    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.