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Board Gender Diversity and Corporate Cash Holdings

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  • Aitzaz Ahsan Alias Sarang

    (CERGAM - Centre d'Études et de Recherche en Gestion d'Aix-Marseille - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - UTLN - Université de Toulon, Iqra University)

  • Nicolas Aubert

    (CERGAM - Centre d'Études et de Recherche en Gestion d'Aix-Marseille - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - UTLN - Université de Toulon)

  • Xavier Hollandts

    (CRCGM et IFGE - Kedge Business School - Kedge BS - Kedge Business School)

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between boardroom gender diversity and corporate cash holdings (i.e., liquidity risk) and excess cash holdings (i.e., agency risk). Using a sample of French firms listed on the SBF 120 index over the period 1998 to 2015, we find a significant positive relation of board gender diversity for two measures of corporate cash holdings (i.e., corporate cash ratio and industry adjusted cash ratio) and a negative relation with excess cash holdings. These results support that feminized boards are associated with lower liquidity and agency risk implying that women directors engage in stricter monitoring and disallow stockpiling beyond the optimal cash level. The study provides significant intermediate results in relation to the Copé-Zimmermann gender quota law that are robust to alternate specifications and tests.

Suggested Citation

  • Aitzaz Ahsan Alias Sarang & Nicolas Aubert & Xavier Hollandts, 2021. "Board Gender Diversity and Corporate Cash Holdings," Post-Print hal-02897433, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02897433
    DOI: 10.3917/fina.421.0007
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-02897433
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    1. Asad Ali Rind & Aitzaz Ahsan Alias Sarang & Ameet Kumar & Muhammad Shahbaz, 2023. "Does financial fraud affect implied cost of equity?," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4), pages 4139-4155, October.
    2. Yang, Hanping & Xue, Kunkun, 2023. "Board diversity and the marginal value of corporate cash holdings," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

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