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Internal capital markets and diversified firms: Theory and practice

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  • Gatzer, Sebastian
  • Hoang, Daniel
  • Ruckes, Martin

Abstract

We analyze a unique dataset from a survey of CFOs of diversified firms to examine four areas of diversification and internal capital markets: causes and financing effects of corporate diversification, capital budgeting processes, capital investment methods, and reallocation policies in internal capital markets. CFOs see the main financial benefits of being diversified in lower costs of capital and higher debt capacities. Challenging the usual bottom-up view on capital allocation, firms' capital budgeting processes have typically also a top-down component: while top management relies on financial projections provided by divisions it also uses its own qualitative information. Top management is aware of agency and information problems at the divisional level and organizes the budgeting process to counteract managerial opportunism. Firms acknowledge that capital allocation decisions can frequently lead to a more evenly distributed allocation than pure financial criteria suggest.

Suggested Citation

  • Gatzer, Sebastian & Hoang, Daniel & Ruckes, Martin, 2014. "Internal capital markets and diversified firms: Theory and practice," Working Paper Series in Economics 64, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Department of Economics and Management.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:kitwps:64
    DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000044663
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Patrick Bielstein & Mario Fischer & Christoph Kaserer, 2018. "The cost of capital effect of M&A transactions: Disentangling coinsurance from the diversification discount," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 24(4), pages 650-679, September.
    2. D'Acunto, Francesco & Weber, Michael & Yang, Shuyao, 2017. "Manpower Constraints and Corporate Policies," VfS Annual Conference 2017 (Vienna): Alternative Structures for Money and Banking 168109, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    3. Hoang, Daniel & Gatzer, Sebastian & Ruckes, Martin E., 2018. "The economics of capital allocation in firms: Evidence from internal capital markets," Working Paper Series in Economics 115, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Department of Economics and Management.
    4. Hong-Hai Ho & Thi-Hanh Vu & Ngoc-Tien Dao & Manh-Tung Ho & Quan-Hoang Vuong, 2019. "When the Poor Buy the Rich: New Evidence on Wealth Effects of Cross-Border Acquisitions," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-15, June.

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    More about this item

    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

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