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Increasing tax transparency: Investor reactions to the country-by-country reporting requirement for EU financial institutions

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  • Dutt, Verena Katharina
  • Ludwig, Christopher Alexander
  • Nicolay, Katharina
  • Vay, Heiko
  • Voget, Johannes

Abstract

We employ an event study methodology to investigate the stock price reaction around the day of the political decision to include a country-by-country reporting obligation for EU financial institutions. We do not find significant abnormal returns for the banks affected. Sample splits according to the effective tax rate and the degree of B2C orientation do not reveal a more pronounced negative investor response for banks engaging more strongly in tax avoidance or being potentially more concerned about reputational risks, respectively. We conclude that the implementation of a CbCR requirement for EU financial institutions did not trigger a noticeable investor response. Contrary prior findings regarding other public tax disclosure obligations might be driven by the distinct motivation of the rules and the way the information is presented. We contend that capital market reactions to an upcoming increase in tax transparency are not generalizable to other industries and settings, but that consideration must be given to the context and the exact design of the rule.

Suggested Citation

  • Dutt, Verena Katharina & Ludwig, Christopher Alexander & Nicolay, Katharina & Vay, Heiko & Voget, Johannes, 2018. "Increasing tax transparency: Investor reactions to the country-by-country reporting requirement for EU financial institutions," VfS Annual Conference 2018 (Freiburg, Breisgau): Digital Economy 181537, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc18:181537
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    Cited by:

    1. Koch, Reinald & Holtmann, Svea & Giese, Henning, 2022. "Losses never sleep: The effect of tax loss offset on stock market returns during economic crises," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 269, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    2. Petr Janský, 2020. "European banks and tax havens: evidence from country-by-country reporting," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(54), pages 5967-5985, November.
    3. Murphy Richard & Janský Petr & Shah Atul, 2019. "BEPS Policy Failure—The Case of EU Country-By-Country Reporting," Nordic Tax Journal, Sciendo, vol. 2019(1), pages 63-86, January.
    4. Gawehn, Vanessa, 2019. "Banks and corporate income taxation: A review," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 247, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    5. Dutt, Verena & Spengel, Christoph & Vay, Heiko, 2021. "Der EU-Vorschlag zum Country-by-Country Reporting im Internet: Kosten, Nutzen, Konsequenzen," Studien, Stiftung Familienunternehmen / Foundation for Family Businesses, number 250010, June.
    6. Müller, Raphael & Spengel, Christoph & Weck, Stefan, 2021. "How do investors value the publication of tax information? Evidence from the European public country-by-country reporting," ZEW Discussion Papers 21-077, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    7. Klein, Daniel & Ludwig, Christopher A. & Spengel, Christoph, 2019. "Ring-fencing digital corporations: Investor reaction to the European Commission's digital tax proposals," ZEW Discussion Papers 19-050, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    8. Dutt, Verena K. & Spengel, Christoph & Vay, Heiko, 2021. "The EU proposal for country-by-country reporting on the internet: Costs, Benefits and Consequences," Studien, Stiftung Familienunternehmen / Foundation for Family Businesses, number 250025, June.
    9. Müller, Raphael & Spengel, Christoph & Vay, Heiko, 2020. "On the determinants and effects of corporate tax transparency: Review of an emerging literature," ZEW Discussion Papers 20-063, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    10. Flagmeier, Vanessa & Gawehn, Vanessa, 2020. "Do investors care about tax disclosure?," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 254, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    11. Dutt, Verena K. & Nicolay, Katharina & Spengel, Christoph, 2021. "Reporting behavior and transparency in European banks' country-by-country reports," ZEW Discussion Papers 21-019, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    12. repec:ces:ifowps:_2020 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Dutt, Verena K. & Nicolay, Katharina & Vay, Heiko & Voget, Johannes, 2019. "Can European banks' country-by-country reports reveal profit shifting? An analysis of the information content of EU banks' disclosures," ZEW Discussion Papers 19-042, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    14. Reinald Koch & Svea Holtmann & Henning Giese, 2023. "Losses never sleep – The effect of tax loss offset on stock market returns during economic crises," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(1), pages 59-109, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tax Avoidance; Profit Shifting; Country-by-Country Reporting; Financial Institutions; Market Reaction;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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