IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v30y2019icp436-445.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Overinvestment and corporate governance in energy listed companies: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Shi, Min

Abstract

Driven by subsidies policy and energy-finance integration, China's energy firms are awash with free cash flow. So far, China is the largest energy investment destination and investors in the world. In this context, we need to think whether such large amount of investment is truly proper, or does free cash flow lead to over-investment, and whether corporate governance can help to eliminate the over-investment. This letter examines the sensitivity between free cash flow and over-investment in China's energy listed companies. We also investigate whether corporate governance mechanism can help to reduce agency problem, thus to reduce such sensitivity. By employing Richardson (2006) investment expectation model, we are able to measure over-investment and free cash flow simultaneously and estimate the sensitivity between them. We choose board of directors and ownership structure to represent corporate governance mechanism and introduce them into regression model to check how each mechanism works. Our results find that free cash flow will significantly positive affect over-investment. No effective corporate governance mechanisms can help to mitigate the significant sensitivity between free cash flow and over-investment, while board shareholdings and state shareholdings would significantly increase the sensitivity between free cash flow and over-investment.

Suggested Citation

  • Shi, Min, 2019. "Overinvestment and corporate governance in energy listed companies: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 436-445.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:30:y:2019:i:c:p:436-445
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2019.05.017
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612319300406
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2019.05.017?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. Gilchrist, Simon & Himmelberg, Charles P., 1995. "Evidence on the role of cash flow for investment," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 541-572, December.
    2. Charles J. Hadlock, 1998. "Ownership, Liquidity, and Investment," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 29(3), pages 487-508, Autumn.
    3. Barro, Robert J, 1990. "The Stock Market and Investment," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 3(1), pages 115-131.
    4. Stulz, ReneM., 1990. "Managerial discretion and optimal financing policies," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 3-27, July.
    5. Andres, Christian & Doumet, Markus & Fernau, Erik & Theissen, Erik, 2015. "The Lintner model revisited: Dividends versus total payouts," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 56-69.
    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. He, Wei & Kyaw, NyoNyo A., 2018. "Ownership structure and investment decisions of Chinese SOEs," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 48-57.
    8. R. Glenn Hubbard, 1998. "Capital-Market Imperfections and Investment," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 36(1), pages 193-225, March.
    9. Steven M. Fazzari & R. Glenn Hubbard & Bruce C. Petersen, 1988. "Financing Constraints and Corporate Investment," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 19(1), pages 141-206.
    10. Zhang, Dayong & Cao, Hong & Dickinson, David G. & Kutan, Ali M., 2016. "Free cash flows and overinvestment: Further evidence from Chinese energy firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 116-124.
    11. Opler, Tim & Pinkowitz, Lee & Stulz, Rene & Williamson, Rohan, 1999. "The determinants and implications of corporate cash holdings," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 3-46, April.
    12. Zhang, Dayong & Cao, Hong & Zou, Peijiang, 2016. "Exuberance in China's renewable energy investment: Rationality, capital structure and implications with firm level evidence," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 468-478.
    13. Chen, Xin & Sun, Yong & Xu, Xiaodong, 2016. "Free cash flow, over-investment and corporate governance in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 81-103.
    14. Chen, Shimin & Sun, Zheng & Tang, Song & Wu, Donghui, 2011. "Government intervention and investment efficiency: Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 259-271, April.
    15. Stephen C. Vogt, 1994. "The Cash Flow/investment Relationship: Evidence from U.S. Manufacturing Firms," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 23(2), Summer.
    16. Thomas W. Bates, 2005. "Asset Sales, Investment Opportunities, and the Use of Proceeds," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(1), pages 105-135, February.
    17. Tan, Xiaomei, 2013. "China's overseas investment in the energy/resources sector: Its scale, drivers, challenges and implications," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 750-758.
    18. Griffin, James M, 1988. "A Test of the Free Cash Flow Hypothesis: Results from the Petroleum Industry," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 70(1), pages 76-82, February.
    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. Zhang, Dongyang, 2021. "Does a designed financial system impact polluting firms’ employment? Evidence of an experimental economic policy," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    2. Jing, Zhongbo & Liu, Zhidong & Qi, Liyao & Zhang, Xuan, 2022. "Spillover effects of banking systemic risk on firms in China: A financial cycle analysis," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    3. Kayo, Eduardo K. & Silva, Walter Eclache da & Martelanc, Roy, 2023. "The two faces of subsidized loans," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    4. Fuqiang Dai & Hao Liu & Xia Zhang & Qing Li, 2022. "Does the Equalization of Public Services Effect Regional Disparities in the Ratio of Investment to Consumption? Evidence From Provincial Level in China," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, March.
    5. Hou, Fei & Tang, Wenjie & Wang, Huabing & Xiong, Hao, 2021. "Economic policy uncertainty, marketization level and firm-level inefficient investment: Evidence from Chinese listed firms in energy and power industries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    6. Dmytro Osiichuk & Mirosław Wasilewski & Serhiy Zabolotnyy, 2021. "The Impact of Independent Supervisory Boards on Transformations in the Energy Sector: Results of an International Longitudinal Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-19, August.
    7. Darya Pyatkina & Tamara Shcherbina & Vadim Samusenkov & Irina Razinkina & Mariusz Sroka, 2021. "Modeling and Management of Power Supply Enterprises’ Cash Flows," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-17, February.
    8. Song, Xinyu & Yang, Baochen, 2022. "Oil price uncertainty, corporate governance and firm performance," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 469-487.
    9. Yang, Daecheon & Kim, Hyuntae, 2020. "Managerial overconfidence and manipulation of operating cash flow: Evidence from Korea✰," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).

    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, Liyun & Zhao, Zhenzhi & Zhang, Mingming & Zhou, Dequn, 2022. "Green investment efficiency in the Chinese energy sector: Overinvestment or underinvestment?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    2. Xin Qu & Majella Percy & Fang Hu & Jenny Stewart, 2022. "Can CEO equity‐based compensation limit investment‐related agency problems?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 2579-2614, June.
    3. He, Lingyun & Liu, Rongyan & Zhong, Zhangqi & Wang, Deqing & Xia, Yufei, 2019. "Can green financial development promote renewable energy investment efficiency? A consideration of bank credit," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 974-984.
    4. Francis, Bill & Hasan, Iftekhar & Song, Liang & Waisman, Maya, 2013. "Corporate governance and investment-cash flow sensitivity: Evidence from emerging markets," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(C), pages 57-71.
    5. Vijayakumaran, Ratnam, 2021. "Impact of managerial ownership on investment and liquidity constraints: Evidence from Chinese listed companies," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    6. Guariglia, Alessandra & Yang, Junhong, 2016. "A balancing act: Managing financial constraints and agency costs to minimize investment inefficiency in the Chinese market," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 111-130.
    7. Xueman Xiang & Carl R. Chen & Yue Liu & Azhar Mughal & Qizhi Tao, 2024. "Are directors with foreign experience better monitors? Evidence from investment efficiency," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 799-840, February.
    8. Zhang, Dayong & Cao, Hong & Dickinson, David G. & Kutan, Ali M., 2016. "Free cash flows and overinvestment: Further evidence from Chinese energy firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 116-124.
    9. Cynthia A. Utama & Sidharta Utama, 2016. "Interaction between Incentive to Expropriate and Investment Opportunities as a Determinant of Overinvestment Problem in Indonesia," Asian Academy of Management Journal of Accounting and Finance (AAMJAF), Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, vol. 12(1), pages 73-99.
    10. Z. Jun Lin & Shengqiang Liu & Fangcheng Sun, 2017. "The Impact of Financing Constraints and Agency Costs on Corporate R&D Investment: Evidence from China," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 17(1), pages 3-42, March.
    11. Fabio Bertoni & Massimo G. Colombo & Annalisa Croce, 2010. "The Effect of Venture Capital Financing on the Sensitivity to Cash Flow of Firm's Investments," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 16(4), pages 528-551, September.
    12. Hui-Fun Yu & Tsui-Jung Lin & Hai-Yen Chang & Yu-Huai Wang, 2020. "The Impact of Political Connection and Information Asymmetry on Investment Efficiency: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-15, July.
    13. Wan, Jianjun & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2023. "Corporate investment and the dilemma of the monetary policy: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 106-121.
    14. Boubaker, Sabri & Derouiche, Imen & Lasfer, Meziane, 2015. "Geographic location, excess control rights, and cash holdings," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 24-37.
    15. Shin, Hyun-Han & Kim, Yong H., 2002. "Agency costs and efficiency of business capital investment: evidence from quarterly capital expenditures," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 139-158, March.
    16. Degryse, Hans & de Jong, Abe, 2006. "Investment and internal finance: Asymmetric information or managerial discretion?," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 125-147, January.
    17. Coad, Alex, 2010. "Neoclassical vs evolutionary theories of financial constraints: Critique and prospectus," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 206-218, August.
    18. Degryse, H.A. & de Jong, A., 2000. "Investment Spending in the Netherlands : The Impact of Liquidity and Corporate Governance," Discussion Paper 2000-24, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    19. Francesco Crespi & Giuseppe Scellato, 2010. "Ownership Structure, Internal Financing And Investment Dynamics," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 78(3), pages 242-258, June.
    20. Acharya, Viral V. & Almeida, Heitor & Campello, Murillo, 2007. "Is cash negative debt? A hedging perspective on corporate financial policies," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 515-554, October.

    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:finlet:v:30:y:2019:i:c:p:436-445. 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/frl .

    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.