Search results

Two stylized facts emerge from cash flow literature. One explores the link between free cash flow (FCF) to firm value (Jensen, 1986) and establishes that FCF increases firm value. The other posits FCF may be value decreasing as firms tend to over invest when there is high level of FCF (Richardson, 2006). Two camps have opposing views yet together they establish that FCF is value relevant. If FCF or cash flow, in general, is value relevant then managers will be motivated to present forecasts to investors. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The authors hand collect data from each firm’s press releases and earnings announcements and perform an event study around this date to see how firm forecast and disclosure policies affect firm value.

The analysis demonstrates that disclosures and forecasts do have significantly positive relation with tech firms suggesting that firms in the technology industries are more forthcoming with cash flow disclosures and forecasts in their earnings announcements. The authors further show that these disclosures and forecasts negatively affect the firm value of tech firms.

This paper contributes to the literature that there is empirical evidence that cash flow disclosures and forecasts matter to the value of the firm. Further, it posits that unlike understanding the existing views as opposing each other, may be the authors will be better served if they view both of them as right depending on the optimality of forecasts. The future efforts will be directed toward exploring the optimality of cash flow disclosures.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of commercialization on capital structure, mission and performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs).

Robust estimation techniques ranging from simple OLS to fixed and random effects, Tobit and two‐stage least‐squares regression were applied using panel data for six‐year period 2003‐2008.

The authors' results are generally robust and indicate that leverage decreases the relative level of outreach to the very poor. This is expected as increases in cost of capital leads to higher cost of borrowing, higher default rate and increased risk. Increased use of commercial debt and equity financing lowers productivity for client‐maximizing MFIs through lower conversion of savers to borrowers or the yield rate.

Analysis was done with six years of data as some of the disclosures by MFIs were missing. As comprehensive disclosures become available, a similar study can be performed to see whether degrees of freedom affected the result. However, the research results support the expected outcome and the expectations of leading practitioners.

The study suggests that MFIs can adopt a non‐commercial approach to financing as an alternative to commercialization. Such models are available in practice.

Findings suggest that mission drift experienced by MFIs due to commercialization is a wrong turn for the industry.

The paper describes the first study of its kind in the microfinance sector that used comprehensive estimation techniques with traditional and new performance variables.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of Shariah guidelines on the performance of the Dow Jones Islamic Index (DJIM-US). Shariah or Islamic law is a set of rules that determines Islamic allowed activities including socially and ethically acceptable investments.

The authors apply four risk-adjusted methodologies and co-integration analysis to investigate whether limited asset universe Shariah investments limit investment opportunities and impose an opportunity cost on investors given the prediction of conventional portfolio theories.

In contrast to the prediction of conventional portfolio theories, the findings suggest no apparent opportunity cost for Shariah compatible investments. In particular, Dow Jones Islamic Mutual Funds do not under-perform the broader market US benchmarks nor do they have any co-integration with the broader indexes. Moreover, the authors find similar evidence in the studies of Islamic mutual funds in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Kuwait.

The findings will be reinforced when the authors will look into long run performance of Shariah compliant funds in future. Using non-linear approach will add further clarity to the findings.

The results provide an insight suggesting that successful mutual fund managers are able to overcome Shariah restrictions and constraints through creative investment strategies. In the data set, the Amana Trust Growth fund and the Amana Trust Income fund were always the best performers with a highly significant abnormal return, no matter what the methodology was.

The performance of Islamic funds during the approximately seven-year period covered by the study is very promising. Popularity of Islamic Investment is expected to grow as Muslim population represents about 25 percent of the world population and the possibility for the Muslim funds to be considered as viable alternative by non-Shariah abiding or non-Muslim investors. The empirical results in the paper provide evidence that lack in diversification did not constrain the performance of Islamic funds.

This paper applied comprehensive risk-adjusted methodologies and co-integration analysis to Islamic Funds for a seven-year period for multiple countries. The findings confirm previously obtained results and highlight the fact that constrained Islamic Funds may not under-perform as per conventional portfolio theories.