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Dividend payouts and catering to demands: Evidence from a dividend tax reform

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  • Yu, Xin
  • Wang, Yuetang
  • Chen, Yingrun
  • Wang, Guojun

Abstract

Utilizing the 2012 dividend tax reform in China, this paper examines how firms make dividend payout decisions that cater to the controlling shareholders' demand, especially when controlling shareholders and outside minority shareholders have different dividend preferences. We find that firms increase dividend payouts when controlling shareholders demand higher dividends after the dividend tax reform. In particular, firms pay higher dividends when facing increased demand from controlling shareholders than when the demand is from minority investors. In addition, we find that firms that increase dividend payments due to the controlling shareholders' demand subsequently have more debt financing and poorer firm performance, suggesting that catering to the demands from controlling shareholders is subject to the Type II agency problem.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu, Xin & Wang, Yuetang & Chen, Yingrun & Wang, Guojun, 2021. "Dividend payouts and catering to demands: Evidence from a dividend tax reform," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:77:y:2021:i:c:s1057521921001745
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2021.101841
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    Cited by:

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    2. Ed-Dafali, Slimane & Patel, Ritesh & Iqbal, Najaf, 2023. "A bibliometric review of dividend policy literature," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Dividends; Tax reform; Catering incentives; Type II agency problem; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • G35 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Payout Policy
    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General

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