IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v86y2025ipfs1544612325020847.html

Customer green preference and corporate valuation premium: The role of digital platforms

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, ZiYi
  • Cui, JinDong

Abstract

Focusing on customers, this research explores how customer green preferences affect corporate valuation. Grounded in a large panel of publicly listed Chinese firms over the period of 2014 and 2023, we demonstrate that customer green preferences are strongly positively correlated with corporate valuation premium; digital platforms further amplify this correlation. These findings hold across multiple sensitivity tests. Further analyses suggest that stable cash flow and generous trade credit are key economic channels. Overall, the present paper greatly advances the rapidly developing studies on the role of customers and digital platforms in corporate valuation.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, ZiYi & Cui, JinDong, 2025. "Customer green preference and corporate valuation premium: The role of digital platforms," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 86(PF).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:86:y:2025:i:pf:s1544612325020847
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.108830
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612325020847
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2025.108830?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee, Michael T. & Raschke, Robyn L. & Krishen, Anjala S., 2022. "Signaling green! firm ESG signals in an interconnected environment that promote brand valuation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 1-11.
    2. Mathieu Gomes & Sylvain Marsat, 2018. "Does CSR impact premiums in M&A transactions?," Post-Print hal-01671217, HAL.
    3. Wissal Ben Arfi & Lubica Hikkerova, 2021. "Corporate entrepreneurship, product innovation, and knowledge conversion: the role of digital platforms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 1191-1204, February.
    4. Bradford Cornell & Alan C. Shapiro, 2021. "Corporate stakeholders, corporate valuation and ESG," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 27(2), pages 196-207, March.
    5. Bustamante, Maria J., 2023. "Digital platforms as common goods or economic goods? Constructing the worth of a nascent agricultural data platform," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    6. Ikram Radhouane & Mehdi Nekhili & Haithem Nagati & Gilles Paché, 2018. "The impact of corporate environmental reporting on customer-related performance and market value," Post-Print hal-02380574, HAL.
    7. Gomes, Mathieu & Marsat, Sylvain, 2018. "Does CSR impact premiums in M&A transactions?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 71-80.
    8. Liu, Laura Xiaolei & Mao, Mike Qinghao & Nini, Greg, 2018. "Customer risk and corporate financial policy: Evidence from receivables securitization," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 453-467.
    9. Natalya Vinokurova, 2019. "Reshaping demand landscapes: How firms change customer preferences to better fit their products," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(13), pages 2107-2137, December.
    10. K. Valerie Carl & Cristina Mihale-Wilson & Jan Zibuschka & Oliver Hinz, 2024. "A consumer perspective on Corporate Digital Responsibility: an empirical evaluation of consumer preferences," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 94(7), pages 979-1024, October.
    11. Hyongmook Cheong & Boyoung Kim & Ivan Ureta Vaquero, 2023. "A Data Valuation Model to Estimate the Investment Value of Platform Companies: Based on Discounted Cash Flow," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-17, June.
    12. Raf Orens & Walter Aerts & Nadine Lybaert, 2013. "Customer value disclosure and cost of equity capital," Review of Accounting and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(2), pages 130-147, May.
    13. Raf Orens & Walter Aerts & Nadine Lybaert, 2013. "Customer value disclosure and cost of equity capital," Review of Accounting and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(2), pages 130-147, May.
    14. Raf Orens & Walter Aerts & Nadine Lybaert, 2013. "Customer value disclosure and cost of equity capital," Review of Accounting and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(2), pages 130-147, May.
    15. Zhou, Zhongsheng & Yuan, Zhichao & He, Chao, 2025. "Can digital transformation promote firms' sustainable development? Evidence based on ESG performance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    16. Naseer, Mirza Muhammad & Guo, Yongsheng & Zhu, Xiaoxian, 2025. "When climate risk hits corporate value: The moderating role of financial constraints, flexibility, and innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    17. Choi, Paul Moon Sub & Choi, Joung Hwa & Chung, Chune Young, 2020. "Do individual traders undermine firm valuation?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 36(C).
    18. Kaenzig, Josef & Heinzle, Stefanie Lena & Wüstenhagen, Rolf, 2013. "Whatever the customer wants, the customer gets? Exploring the gap between consumer preferences and default electricity products in Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 311-322.
    19. Ge, Shilong & Tu, Zhenyu & Chen, Yalin & Chong, Heap-Yih, 2025. "Data driven-sustainability: The impact of data trading platforms on corporate ESG performance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Zheng, Zhigang & Li, Jiarong & Ren, Xingzi & Guo, Jie Michael, 2023. "Does corporate ESG create value? New evidence from M&As in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    2. Reinier de Adelhart Toorop & Dirk Schoenmaker & Willem Schramade, 2024. "Decision Rules for Corporate Investment," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, March.
    3. Charl de Villiers & Jing Jia & Zhongtian Li, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility: A review of empirical research using Thomson Reuters Asset4 data," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(4), pages 4523-4568, December.
    4. Vittorio Laus & Enrico Battisti & Samuel Ribeiro-Navarrete, 2026. "Merging innovation and responsibility: the role of digital M&A in shaping ESG performance," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 1-29, June.
    5. Altunbaş, Yener & Khan, Atiqur & Thornton, John, 2023. "Do M&As impact firm carbon intensity?11The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the institutions with which they are affiliated.," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    6. Arouri, Mohamed & Gomes, Mathieu & Pukthuanthong, Kuntara, 2019. "Corporate social responsibility and M&A uncertainty," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 176-198.
    7. Huo, Xiaolin & Jiang, Dayan & Qiu, Zhigang & Yang, Sijie, 2022. "The impacts of dual carbon goals on asset prices in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    8. Maung, Min & Wilson, Craig & Yu, Weisu, 2020. "Does reputation risk matter? Evidence from cross-border mergers and acquisitions," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    9. Karolis Andriuškevičius & Dalia Štreimikienė, 2022. "Sustainability Framework for Assessment of Mergers and Acquisitions in Energy Sector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.
    10. Gomes, Mathieu, 2019. "Does CSR influence M&A target choices?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 153-159.
    11. Jost, Sébastien & Erben, Saskia & Ottenstein, Philipp & Zülch, Henning, 2022. "Does corporate social responsibility impact mergers & acquisition premia? New international evidence," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 46(PA).
    12. Chkir, Imed & Dutta, Shantanu & El Haj Hassan, Boushra, 2020. "Does target geographical complexity impact acquisition performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 33(C).
    13. Hu, Jun & Fang, Qi & Wu, Huiying, 2023. "Environmental tax and highly polluting firms' green transformation: Evidence from green mergers and acquisitions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PB).
    14. Ioannis Tampakoudis & Evgenia Anagnostopoulou, 2020. "The effect of mergers and acquisitions on environmental, social and governance performance and market value: Evidence from EU acquirers," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(5), pages 1865-1875, July.
    15. Barros, Victor & Verga Matos, Pedro & Miranda Sarmento, Joaquim & Rino Vieira, Pedro, 2022. "M&A activity as a driver for better ESG performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    16. Chenhui Lu & Caitian Wu & Linjie Feng & Jinghui Zhan & Yi Shi & Huangxin Chen, 2025. "Does ESG Performance Enhance Corporate Green Technological Innovation? Micro Evidence from Chinese-Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-25, January.
    17. Xu, Xiaohui & Wang, Fang & Chen, Xiaohua & Yang, Gaoju, 2021. "Does managerial ability matter for cross-border M&As: Evidence from Chinese listed firms," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    18. Cicchiello, Antonella Francesca & Foroni, Cristian & Monferrà, Stefano & Torluccio, Giuseppe, 2025. "Do FinTech Acquisitions Affect Banks' ESG Performance? Evidence from Global M&As," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    19. Nguyen, Thanh Quy & Nguyen, Anh Thuy & Tran, Anh Lan & Le, Hung Thai & Le, Ha Hoang Thi & Vu, Lien Phuong, 2021. "Do workers benefit from on-the-job training? New evidence from matched employer-employee data," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    20. Mathieu Gomes, 2019. "Does CSR influence M&A target choices?," Post-Print halshs-02007313, HAL.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:86:y:2025:i:pf:s1544612325020847. 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.