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Consumption Taxes and Corporate Investment

Author

Listed:
  • Martin Jacob

    (WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management)

  • Roni Michaely

    (University of Geneva - Geneva Finance Research Institute (GFRI); Swiss Finance Institute)

  • Maximilian A. Müller

    (WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management)

Abstract

While consumers nominally pay the consumption tax, theoretical and empirical evidence is mixed on whether corporations partly shoulder this burden, thereby, affecting corporate investment. Using a quasi-natural experiment, we show that consumption taxes decrease investment. Firms facing more elastic demand decrease investment more strongly because they bear more of the consumption tax. We corroborate the validity of our findings using 86 consumption tax changes in a cross-country panel. We document two mechanisms underlying the investment response: reduced firms’ profitability and lower aggregate consumption. Importantly, the magnitude of the investment response to consumption taxes is similar to that of corporate taxes.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Jacob & Roni Michaely & Maximilian A. Müller, 2019. "Consumption Taxes and Corporate Investment," Swiss Finance Institute Research Paper Series 19-40, Swiss Finance Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:chf:rpseri:rp1940
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    Cited by:

    1. Rainer Niemann & Mariana Sailer, 2023. "Is analytical tax research alive and kicking? Insights from 2000 until 2022," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(6), pages 1149-1212, August.
    2. Liu, Xiufen & Yu, Weizhen & Chen, Zixuan, 2024. "Adjustments in VAT rates and business innovation: Empirical insights from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PB), pages 659-672.
    3. Hillmann, Lisa, 2023. "Dividend taxation and the ownership structure of private firms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. Antonio De Vito & Martin Jacob & Dirk Schindler & Guosong Xu, 2023. "How Do Corporate Tax Hikes Affect Investment Allocation within Multinationals?," CESifo Working Paper Series 10272, CESifo.
    5. Feng, Cong & Fay, Scott & Kashmiri, Saim, 2022. "The value relevance of descriptive R&D intensity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 1394-1407.
    6. Eichfelder, Sebastian & Jacob, Martin & Schneider, Kerstin, 2020. "Do tax incentives reduce investment quality?," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 248, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    7. Liu, Xiufen & Fang, Hongsheng & Zhao, Lexin & Xu, Wenli, 2023. "Do VAT cuts help stabilize employment? Evidence from China’s VAT rate reform," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 190-207.
    8. John Gallemore & Martin Jacob, 2020. "Corporate Tax Enforcement Externalities and the Banking Sector," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(5), pages 1117-1159, December.
    9. Eichfelder, Sebastian & Jacob, Martin & Schneider, Kerstin, 2023. "Do tax incentives affect investment quality?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    10. Zhao, Lexin & Peng, Gang & Feng, Qianbin, 2024. "VAT rate cut and corporate maturity mismatch: Evidence from China's VAT rate reform," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    11. Umar Farooq & Mosab I. Tabash & Ahmad A. Al-Naimi & Krzysztof Drachal, 2022. "Corporate Investment Decision: A Review of Literature," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-17, December.
    12. Kira Zerwer, 2024. "VAT do you eat? Green consumption taxes and firms' market share," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(2), pages 504-523, June.
    13. Jacob, Martin & Vossebürger, Robert, 2022. "The role of personal income taxes in corporate investment decisions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    14. Jiang, Kangqi & Chen, Zhongfei & Rughoo, Aarti & Zhou, Mengling, 2022. "Internet finance and corporate investment: Evidence from China," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    15. Liu, Lihua & Cao, Lele & Cao, Yuqiang & Lu, Meiting & Shan, Yaowen, 2024. "VAT credit refunds and firm productivity: Evidence from China's VAT reform," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    16. Eichfelder, Sebastian & Jacob, Martin & Kalbitz, Nadine & Wentland, Kelly, 2023. "How do corporate tax rates alter conforming tax avoidance?," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 277, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    17. Hongsheng Fang & Lexin Zhao & Xiufen Liu, 2024. "Value‐added Tax and Leverage: Evidence from China's Value‐added Tax Rate Reform," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 32(2), pages 200-234, March.
    18. Jacob, Martin, 2021. "Dividend taxes, employment, and firm productivity," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    19. Hayley Pallan, 2022. "Do Investors Care About Consumption Taxes? Evidence from Equities in Advanced and Emerging Economies," IHEID Working Papers 14-2022, Economics Section, The Graduate Institute of International Studies.
    20. Ishida, Souhei & Ogoe, Satoshi & Suzuki, Katsushi, 2023. "Earnings management, horizon problem, and advisor posts for retiring CEOs," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    21. He, Eric & Jacob, Martin & Vashishtha, Rahul & Venkatachalam, Mohan, 2022. "Does differential taxation of short-term relative to long-term capital gains affect long-term investment?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(1).
    22. Rainer Niemann & Ulrich Schreiber, 2020. "Herausforderungen und Entwicklungsperspektiven des Steuersystems [Challenges and Development Perspectives of the Tax System]," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 72(1), pages 1-48, March.
    23. Guo, Yue Mei & Li, Xiao, 2023. "The impact of greater VAT tax neutrality on total factor productivity: Evidence from China’s VAT credit refund reform in 2018," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 922-936.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumption Tax; Investment; Tax Policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

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