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A q Theory of Internal Capital Markets

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  • Giroud, Xavier
  • Dai, Min
  • Jiang, Wei
  • Wang, Neng

Abstract

We propose a tractable model of dynamic investment, division sales (spinoffs), financing, and risk management for a multi-division firm that faces costly external finance. The model highlights the importance of considering the intertwined nature of the different policies. Our main results are as follows: (1) risk management considerations prescribe the allocation of resources based not only on the divisions' productivity -- as in standard models of ''winner picking'' -- but also their risk; (2) firms may choose to voluntarily spin off productive divisions to increase liquidity; (3) diversification can reduce firm value especially in low liquidity states, as it increases the cost of a spinoff and hampers liquidity management; (4) with corporate socialism, liquidity is less valuable since it is less costly to replenish the firm's liquidity through a spinoff; and (5) division-level investment is set such that the ratio between marginal q and the marginal cost of investing in each division equals the marginal value of cash.

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  • Giroud, Xavier & Dai, Min & Jiang, Wei & Wang, Neng, 2020. "A q Theory of Internal Capital Markets," CEPR Discussion Papers 15341, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:15341
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D92 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Intertemporal Firm Choice, Investment, Capacity, and Financing
    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance

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