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Can Diversification Create Value? Evidence from the Electric Utility Industry

Author

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  • Tomas Jandik
  • Anil K. Makhija

Abstract

Despite SEC and state-level resistance, and contrary to the trend pursued by other firms, many electric utilities have diversified into non-electric and unregulated businesses. Moreover, this failure to focus has been rewarded with higher firm values, again contrary to the discounts documented in the literature for other diversifying firms. Prior literature has questioned whether these premiums (or discounts) can be attributed to diversification per se. Rather, these premiums could arise from the characteristics of the diversifying firms, which have then endogenously chosen to diversify. In a new approach, where regulation can make the diversification decision largely exogenous, we examine the investment policies of the comparable electric-segments in the diversifying and non-diversifying utilities. We find that singlesegment electric utilities over-invest compared to diversifying utilities, which explains their diversification premiums and implies that diversification can create value by opening up new investment opportunities.

Suggested Citation

  • Tomas Jandik & Anil K. Makhija, 2005. "Can Diversification Create Value? Evidence from the Electric Utility Industry," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 34(1), Spring.
    • Handle: RePEc:fma:fmanag:jandikmakhija05
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    Cited by:

    1. Charles A. Brown & Chris R. McNeil, 2008. "Internal capital market subsidies and industry downturns," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 48(3), pages 337-361, September.
    2. Shao‐Chi Chang & Sheng‐Syan Chen & Jung‐Ho Lai, 2008. "The Wealth Effect of Japanese‐US Strategic Alliances," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 37(2), pages 271-301, June.
    3. Nilakshi Borah & Liu Pan & Jung Chul Park & Nan Shao, 2018. "Does corporate diversification reduce value in high technology firms?," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 683-718, October.
    4. Velasco, Pilar, 2022. "Is bank diversification a linking channel between regulatory capital and bank value?," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(4).
    5. repec:vuw:vuwscr:18939 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Salas-Fumás, Vicente & Rosell-Martínez, Jorge & Delgado-Gómez, José Manuel, 2016. "Capacity, investment and market power in the economic value of energy firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 28-39.
    7. Sueyoshi, Toshiyuki & Goto, Mika, 2009. "Can environmental investment and expenditure enhance financial performance of US electric utility firms under the clean air act amendment of 1990?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(11), pages 4819-4826, November.
    8. Goto, Mika & Low, Angie & Makhija, Anil K., 2008. "Diversification, Productivity, and Financial Constraints Empirical Evidence from the US Electric Utility Industry," Working Paper Series 2008-3, Ohio State University, Charles A. Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics.
    9. Boyle, Glenn & Evans, Lewis & Guthrie, Graeme, 2006. "Estimating the WACC in a Regulatory Setting: An Assessment of Dr Martin Lally's paper 'The Weighted Average Cost of Capital for Electricity Lines Businesses' of 8 September 2005," Working Paper Series 18939, Victoria University of Wellington, The New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.
    10. Sueyoshi, Toshiyuki & Goto, Mika & Shang, Jennifer, 2009. "Core business concentration vs. corporate diversification in the US electric utility industry: Synergy and deregulation effects," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(11), pages 4583-4594, November.
    11. Giacomo Calzolari & Carlo Scarpa, 2016. "Conglomerates And Regulation," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 54(3), pages 1648-1669, July.
    12. Oesterle, Michael-Jörg & Richta, Hannah Noriko & Fisch, Jan Hendrik, 2013. "The influence of ownership structure on internationalization," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 187-201.
    13. Kishimoto, Jo & Goto, Mika & Inoue, Kotaro, 2017. "Do acquisitions by electric utility companies create value? Evidence from deregulated markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 212-224.
    14. Goto, Mika & Makhija, Anil K., 2007. "The Impact of Competition and Corporate Structure on Productive Efficiency: The Case of the U.S. Electric Utility Industry, 1990-2004," Working Paper Series 2007-10, Ohio State University, Charles A. Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics.
    15. Lee, Sangwoo & Park, Kwangwoo & Shin, Hyun-Han, 2009. "Disappearing internal capital markets: Evidence from diversified business groups in Korea," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 326-334, February.
    16. Sueyoshi, Toshiyuki & Goto, Mika, 2011. "Operational synergy in the US electric utility industry under an influence of deregulation policy: A linkage to financial performance and corporate value," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 699-713, February.
    17. Nippa, Michael, 2011. "Zur Notwendigkeit des Corporate Portfolio Management: Eine Würdigung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung der letzten vier Jahrzehnte," Freiberg Working Papers 2011/02, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    18. An Yan, 2006. "Value of Conglomerates and Capital Market Conditions," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 35(4), pages 5-30, December.
    19. Boyle, Glenn & Evans, Lewis & Guthrie, Graeme, 2006. "Estimating the WACC in a Regulatory Setting: An Assessment of Dr Martin Lally's paper 'The Weighted Average Cost of Capital for Electricity Lines Businesses' of 8 September 2005," Working Paper Series 3844, Victoria University of Wellington, The New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.

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