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Carbon Intensity and the Cost of Equity Capital

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  • Arjan Trinks
  • Gbenga Ibikunle
  • Machiel Mulder
  • Bert Scholtens

Abstract

The transition from high- to lower-carbon production systems increasingly creates regulatory and market risks for high-emitting firms. We test to what extent equity market investors demand a premium to compensate for such risks and thus might raise firms’ cost of equity capital (CoE). Using data for 1,897 firms spanning 50 countries over the years 2008-2016, we find a distinct and robust positive impact of carbon intensity (carbon emissions per unit of output) on CoE: On average, a standard deviation higher (sector-adjusted) carbon intensity is associated with a CoE premium of 6 (9) basis points or 1.7% (2.6%). This effect is primarily explained by systematic risk factors: high-emitting assets are significantly more sensitive to economy-wide fluctuations than low-emitting ones. The CoE impact of carbon intensity is more pronounced in high-emitting sectors, EU countries, and firms subject to carbon pricing regulation. Our results suggest that carbon emission reduction might serve as a valuable risk mitigation strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Arjan Trinks & Gbenga Ibikunle & Machiel Mulder & Bert Scholtens, 2022. "Carbon Intensity and the Cost of Equity Capital," The Energy Journal, , vol. 43(2), pages 181-214, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:43:y:2022:i:2:p:181-214
    DOI: 10.5547/01956574.43.2.atri
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    Cited by:

    1. Qiang Yao & Na An & Hai Ci, 2024. "The Dynamics and Trends of International Research on Urban Carbon Risk," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-39, December.
    2. Ren, Yi-Shuai & Huynh, Toan Luu Duc & Liu, Pei-Zhi & Narayan, Seema, 2024. "Is the carbon emission trading scheme conducive to promoting energy transition? Some empirical evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    3. Pan, Junyu & Du, Lizhao & Wu, Haitao & Liu, Xiaoqian, 2024. "Does environmental law enforcement supervision improve corporate carbon reduction performance? Evidence from environmental protection interview," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    4. Perdichizzi, Salvatore & Buchetti, Bruno & Cicchiello, Antonella Francesca & Dal Maso, Lorenzo, 2024. "Carbon emission and firms’ value: Evidence from Europe," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    5. Atiqa Rehman & Halit Gonenc & Niels Hermes, 2023. "Carbon disclosure policy, external financing needs and the cost of capital: Does financial market quality matter?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5854-5872, December.
    6. Wu, Zhenshu, 2023. "Essays in corporate finance and ESG," Other publications TiSEM fe6f9604-d0c5-46f3-9492-f, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. Arjan Trinks & Erik Hille, 2023. "Carbon costs and industrial firm performance: Evidence from international microdata," CPB Discussion Paper 445, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    8. Dandan Ma & Pengxiang Zhai & Dayong Zhang & Qiang Ji, 2024. "Excess stock returns and corporate environmental performance in China," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 10(1), pages 1-30, December.
    9. Nasrallah, Nohade & El Khoury, Rim & Atayah, Osama F. & Marashdeh, Hazem & Najaf, Khakan, 2025. "The impact of carbon awareness, country-governance, and innovation on the cost of equity: Evidence from oil and gas firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PB).
    10. Trinks, Arjan & Mulder, Machiel & Scholtens, Bert, 2022. "External carbon costs and internal carbon pricing," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    11. Guo, Kun & Bian, Yuan & Zhang, Dayong & Ji, Qiang, 2024. "ESG performance and corporate external financing in China: The role of rating disagreement," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    12. Cepni, Oguzhan & Şensoy, Ahmet & Yılmaz, Muhammed Hasan, 2024. "Climate change exposure and cost of equity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Carbon intensity; cost of capital; regulatory risk; asset pricing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F0 - International Economics - - General

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