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Flexibility and dividends

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  • Blau, Benjamin M.
  • Fuller, Kathleen P.

Abstract

We develop a model of corporate dividend policy based on the idea that management values operating flexibility. By reducing dividends and conserving cash, management increases its flexibility. This improves its ability to invest in projects that it believes are good for the shareholders in the long run but which shareholders would not provide the capital for because they think the projects are value reducing. However, the cost of not paying dividends is a reduction in the current stock price. Management trades off these two aspects of dividends. Flexibility considerations help us understand various dimensions of dividend policy that existing theories do not explain. Our theory generates numerous testable predictions that we confront with the data. The evidence is supportive of the model.

Suggested Citation

  • Blau, Benjamin M. & Fuller, Kathleen P., 2008. "Flexibility and dividends," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 133-152, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:14:y:2008:i:2:p:133-152
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    Cited by:

    1. Rapp, Marc Steffen & Schmid, Thomas & Urban, Daniel, 2014. "The value of financial flexibility and corporate financial policy," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 288-302.
    2. Ijaz Ali & Ali Gohar & Omar Meharzi, 2017. "Why do Firms Change Their Dividend Policy?," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 7(3), pages 411-422.
    3. Cheng Few Lee & Manak C. Gupta & Hong-Yi Chen & Alice C. Lee, 2020. "Optimal Payout Ratio Under Uncertainty and the Flexibility Hypothesis: Theory and Empirical Evidence," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Cheng Few Lee & John C Lee (ed.), HANDBOOK OF FINANCIAL ECONOMETRICS, MATHEMATICS, STATISTICS, AND MACHINE LEARNING, chapter 96, pages 3367-3412, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    4. Mar𨀠 Bel鮠Lozano, 2012. "Analysing the effect of excess cash accumulation on financial decisions," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(21), pages 2687-2698, July.
    5. Blau, Benjamin M. & Fuller, Kathleen P. & Van Ness, Robert A., 2011. "Short selling around dividend announcements and ex-dividend days," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 628-639, June.
    6. Yung, Kenneth & Li, DeQing Diane & Jian, Yi, 2015. "The value of corporate financial flexibility in emerging countries," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 32, pages 25-41.
    7. David, Thomas & Ginglinger, Edith, 2016. "When cutting dividends is not bad news: The case of optional stock dividends," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 174-191.
    8. Hong-Yi Chen & Manak C. Gupta & Alice C. Lee & Cheng Few Lee, 2020. "Sustainable Growth Rate, Optimal Growth Rate, and Optimal Payout Ratio: A Joint Optimization Approach," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Cheng Few Lee & John C Lee (ed.), HANDBOOK OF FINANCIAL ECONOMETRICS, MATHEMATICS, STATISTICS, AND MACHINE LEARNING, chapter 97, pages 3413-3464, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    9. Fuller, Kathleen P. & Goldstein, Michael A., 2011. "Do dividends matter more in declining markets?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 457-473, June.
    10. Mª Belén Lozano García, 2011. "Analyzing the Effect of Excess Cash Accumulation on Financial Decisions," Post-Print hal-00704672, HAL.
    11. Benavides, Julian & Berggrun, Luis & Perafan, Hector, 2016. "Dividend payout policies: Evidence from Latin America," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 197-210.
    12. Kallberg, Jarl & Liu, Crocker H. & Villupuram, Sriram, 2013. "Preferred stock: Some insights into capital structure," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 77-86.
    13. Jianan Guo, 2016. "Ultimate Controlling Shareholders and Dividend Payout Policy in Chinese Stock Market," Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies (RPBFMP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 19(02), pages 1-35, June.
    14. Krieger, Kevin & Lee, Bong-Soo & Mauck, Nathan, 2013. "Do senior citizens prefer dividends? Local clienteles vs. firm characteristics," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 150-165.
    15. Mar𨁂el鮠Lozano & Simone Caltabiano, 2015. "Cross institutional cash and dividend policies: focusing on Brazilian firms," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(3), pages 239-254, January.
    16. Musumeci, Jim & Peterson, Mark, 2011. "BE/ME and E/P work better than ME/BE or P/E in regressions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 1272-1288.
    17. Kuti, Mónika, 2011. "Cash Flow at Risk, Financial Flexibility and Financing Constraint," Public Finance Quarterly, Corvinus University of Budapest, vol. 56(4), pages 505-517.
    18. Özgür Arslan-Ayaydin & Chris Florackis & Aydin Ozkan, 2014. "Financial flexibility, corporate investment and performance: evidence from financial crises," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 211-250, February.
    19. De Cesari, Amedeo & Huang-Meier, Winifred, 2015. "Dividend changes and stock price informativeness," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 1-17.
    20. Atsushi Chino & Joon Ho Kim, 2022. "Does dividend policy affect sales growth in product markets? Evidence from the 2003 dividend tax cut," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 51(2), pages 539-571, June.
    21. James Juichia Lin & Cheng-Few Lee, 2021. "Does managerial reluctance of dividend cuts signal future earnings?," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 453-478, February.
    22. Bai-Sian Chen & Hong-Yi Chen & Hsiao-Yin Chen & Fang-Chi Lin, 2022. "Corporate growth and strategic payout policy," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 641-669, August.
    23. Onali, Enrico & Galiakhmetova, Ramilya & Molyneux, Philip & Torluccio, Giuseppe, 2016. "CEO power, government monitoring, and bank dividends," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 89-117.
    24. Castillo, Augusto & Rubio, German & Jakob, Keith, 2020. "Currency magnitude and cognitive biases: Evidence of dividend rounding in Latin America," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).

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