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The effects of q and cash flow on investment in the presence of measurement error

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  • Abel, Andrew B.

Abstract

I analyze investment, q, and cash flow in a tractable stochastic model in which marginal q and average q are identically equal. I introduce classical measurement error and derive closed-form expressions for the coefficients in regressions of investment on q and cash flow. The cash-flow coefficient is positive and larger for faster growing firms, yet there are no financial frictions in the model. I develop the concepts of bivariate attenuation and weight shifting to interpret the estimated coefficients on q and cash flow in the presence of measurement error.

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  • Abel, Andrew B., 2018. "The effects of q and cash flow on investment in the presence of measurement error," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(2), pages 363-377.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:128:y:2018:i:2:p:363-377
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2018.02.005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Chalak, Karim & Kim, Daniel, 2020. "Measurement error in multiple equations: Tobin’s q and corporate investment, saving, and debt," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 214(2), pages 413-432.
    2. Ahmadi, Maryam & Manera, Matteo & Sadeghzadeh, Mehdi, 2019. "The investment-uncertainty relationship in the oil and gas industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
    3. Zhang, Cheng & Zhou, Bo & Tian, Xuan, 2022. "Political connections and green innovation: The role of a corporate entrepreneurship strategy in state-owned enterprises," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 375-384.
    4. Andrew B. Abel & Stavros Panageas, 2020. "An Analytic Framework For Interpreting Investment Regressions In The Presence Of Financial Constraints," NBER Working Papers 26898, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Chen, Te-Feng & Kwok, Wing Chun & Wong, George, 2021. "Does the q theory of investment work well in China?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    6. Sakawa, Hideaki & Watanabel, Naoki & Yamauchi, Shohei & Liu, Runxi, 2023. "The effect of Tobin's q on investment in a bank-based financial system: Evidence from Japan," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    7. Sai Ding & Minjoo Kim & Xiao Zhang, 2021. "New Insight on Investment-Cash Flow Sensitivity," Working Papers 2021_16, Business School - Economics, University of Glasgow.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Investment; Cash flow; q; Measurement error;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance

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