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This study aims to investigate the influence of macro-financial conditions on firm-level capital allocation as a micro-transmission mechanism of monetary policy in Vietnam.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the influence of macro-financial conditions on firm-level capital allocation as a micro-transmission mechanism of monetary policy in Vietnam.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors employ a dynamic model of investment based on the Euler equation approach that allows for financial frictions. The financial conditions are proxied by a composite index of the current states of financial variables, including interest rates, exchange rates, stock prices, and credit demand – which captures short-term shocks in monetary transmission channels. Corporate financing constraints, as a reflection of financial frictions, are measured by the sensitivity of investment to internal funds, which are extensively examined in terms of both negative and positive cash flows.
Findings
In the presence of a non-monotonic (or U-shaped) investment–cash flow relation, the empirical evidence from Vietnamese listed firms indicates that financial conditions affect investment behavior for only firms with negative cash flows, in the sense that better financial conditions alleviate the level of “negative” financing constraints (i.e. the sensitivity of investment to negative cash flow). This effect is greater for larger firms and more likely pronounced for firms without state ownership.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on corporate financing constraints in a manner of considering the macroeconomic dimension, specifically exploring the asymmetric impacts of financial conditions on the investment sensitivity to cash flow.
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Yasin Mahmood, Abdul Rashid and Muhammad Faisal Rizwan
This study aims to examine how corporate financial flexibility, financial sector development and the regulatory environment influence corporate investment decisions in an emerging…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine how corporate financial flexibility, financial sector development and the regulatory environment influence corporate investment decisions in an emerging economy after controlling for several macroeconomic factors.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors estimated random-effects models to empirically examine the impacts of corporate financial flexibility, banking sector development, equity market development, regulatory quality and corruption on corporate investment decisions. The empirical analysis is based on an unbalanced annual panel data set of a sample of 198 non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange for the period 1992–2018.
Findings
The results show that financially flexible firms tend to invest more. The increased banking sector development, stock market development and better regulatory quality play a pivotal role for enabling firms to increase their investment ability. However, the results reveal that corruption acts as a barrier and reduces corporate investments during the examined period. The results suggest that unused borrowing capacity is a good source of financial flexibility. These results strongly support the pecking order theory, which explains why firms incline toward internal sources for financing their investments and why they prefer debt to equity when go for external financing.
Practical implications
The empirical findings of the study enable corporate managers to make better financing and investment decisions by understanding the significance of the attainment and maintenance of the corporate financial flexibility to enhance firm value. Furthermore, the findings enable corporate managers to examine and understand the role of banking sector development (BSD), equity market development (EMD), regulatory quality and the role of corruption in affecting corporate firms' investment ability, allowing them to make appropriate investment decisions, especially from an emerging economy perspective. The findings also help investors in making appropriate investment decisions while they are purchasing financial assets. Finally, the findings of the study have some implications for regulators as well. Specifically, the findings suggest that the authorities should implement economic and financial policies favoring banking sector as well as equity market development to enhance corporate investment.
Originality/value
The study significantly adds to the literature by examining the impact of financial flexibility, financial sector development and regulatory environment on corporate investment decisions. According to the authors' knowledge, the empirical evidence examining the impact of all of these factors on corporate investment is very scarce. Therefore, this study is an effort to fill the gap left in the literature.
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Many developing countries are pursuing policies that foster international financial integration after decades of financial repression. Greater access to foreign financial markets…
Abstract
Purpose
Many developing countries are pursuing policies that foster international financial integration after decades of financial repression. Greater access to foreign financial markets may have both positive and negative impact on the performance of the economy. One of the concerns of international financial integration is macroeconomic volatility which may affect both monetary and real sectors. Zimbabwe has chosen to pursue a financial liberalization strategy in the form of imperfect financial integration following periods of excessive domestic shocks. An upsurge of capital flows since the epic of economic crisis in the 2000s has been observed with varying macroeconomic impacts. This study empirically examines the impact of partial international financial integration on the volatility of macroeconomic variables.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilized an ARDL Model suggested by Pesaran et al., (2003) which is appropriate for short time periods.
Findings
The results show that financial integration has a negative effect on output volatility while insignificant on consumption volatility.
Practical implications
The study recommends that the country should gradually liberalize the capital account and properly sequence financial development reforms in order to minimize losses from global financial integration.
Originality/value
The study used time series for Zimbabwe during a period of external imbalance, repeated economic cycles, sudden stops in capital flows and limited scope of imperfect financial integration. Findings in such an economy will be a referral for policymakers in other economies that would want to pursue international financial integration.
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Yayun Yan and Sampan Nettayanun
Our study explores friction costs in terms of competition and market structure, considering factors such as market share, industry leverage levels, industry hedging levels, number…
Abstract
Our study explores friction costs in terms of competition and market structure, considering factors such as market share, industry leverage levels, industry hedging levels, number of peers, and the geographic concentration that influences reinsurance purchase in the Property and Casualty insurance industry in China. Financial factors that influence the hedging level are also included. The data are hand collected from 2008 to 2015 from the Chinese Insurance Yearbook. Using panel data analysis techniques, the results are interesting. The capital structure shows a significant negative relationship with the hedging level. Group has a negative relationship with reinsurance purchases. Assets exhibit a negative relationship with hedging levels. The hedging level has a negative relation with the individual hedging level. Insurers have less incentive to hedge because it provides less resource than leverage. The study also robustly investigates the strategic risk management separately by the financial crises.
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Ca Nguyen and Alejandro Pacheco
This study has two primary objectives. First, it analyzes the information content of confidentiality strictness in corporate loan credit agreements. Second, it examines how…
Abstract
Purpose
This study has two primary objectives. First, it analyzes the information content of confidentiality strictness in corporate loan credit agreements. Second, it examines how confidentiality strictness impacts covenant design, lending syndicate structure and loan pricing.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 6,327 loan credit agreements originated by US public firms in the period of 1996–2017, this study measures the confidentiality strictness in loan contracts using textual analyses that capture the appearance of confidentiality-related words and the length of confidentiality provision. All regressions include relevant loan characteristics, firm-specific accounting variables, industry and year fixed effects. To address the endogeneity concern, the paper uses borrowing firms' rival cash holdings and R&D expenditures to instrument for confidentiality strictness in two-staged least square regressions.
Findings
Borrowers which have higher R&D and operate in more competitive product markets have tighter confidentiality policies. Furthermore, this study reveals that confidentiality strictness is negatively associated with the imposition of financial covenants, especially performance covenants. Loan contracts for borrowers with stricter confidentiality on average have more relaxed covenant intensity, measured by the number of covenants. The study also shows that stricter confidentiality attracts finance companies, which have strong expertise in product markets of their parent firms, into the lending syndicate. However, confidentiality-conscious borrowers with higher degree of information asymmetry are subject to higher loan spreads.
Originality/value
This study provides the first examination of confidentiality policies in loan contracts and supports the idea that loan provisions are not simply made of “boilerplate” language. The results suggest that, for confidentiality-sensitive borrowers, the greater exposure to product market competition helps control managerial slack and substitute monitoring from financial markets.
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Moncef Guizani and Ahdi Noomen Ajmi
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the sensitivity of investment to cash flow varies with exogenous financial conditions.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the sensitivity of investment to cash flow varies with exogenous financial conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
A dynamic model of investment based on the Euler equation approach is employed to investigate the impact of macro-financial factors on the sensitivity of investment to cash flow. The sample comprises data from 84 non-financial firms listed on Saudi stock market over the period 2007–2018.
Findings
The results show that the sensitivity of investment to cash flow is positive, implying the presence of financing constraints for Saudi firms. Evidence also reveals that better financial conditions relax firms' financing constraints. However, contractionary monetary policy, poor financial development and liquidity crisis strengthen the dependence of firms on internally generated funds when undertaking new investment projects.
Practical implications
The empirical results have useful policy implications. First, policymakers should pay attention to the importance of policymaking based on the monetary demand of microeconomic entities. In monetary contraction periods, firms face greater challenges in accessing external finance. These firms are likely to experience under-investment which at a macro level would translate into lower investments and economic growth for the country. Second, policymakers are encouraged to implement complementary measures that, coupled with existing financial reforms, may promote efficiency, competitiveness and transparency in firms' operations. Finally, managers and investors should consider financial structure and condition as important factors in their investment decision.
Originality/value
This study extends previous research by investigating whether the widely reported positive investment and cash flow relationship can be observed using data from an emerging market, specifically Saudi Arabia. It also sheds light on the investment-cash flow debate under a macroeconomic perspective and provides further evidence on the impact of financial crisis on the investment-cash flow (ICF) sensitivity.
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This study aims to investigate the influence of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and geopolitical risk (GPR) on the relationship between internal cash flow and external financing…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the influence of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and geopolitical risk (GPR) on the relationship between internal cash flow and external financing in an emerging market, Saudi Arabia. It also examines the role of asset tangibility and financial crisis in establishing this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample was taken from non-financial sector companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange between 2002 and 2019. The data were analyzed using panel data regression analysis, including ordinary least squares and fixed effects model. The author addresses potential endogeneity through the generalized method of moments.
Findings
This study found that both EPU and GPR reduce the sensitivity of external financing to internal cash flow. This implies that firms depend more on internally generated funds during periods of increased EPU and GPR. Besides, this study found that the influence of EPU and GPR on the sensitivity of external financing to internal cash flow is more (less) negative for more tangible firms (during the financial crisis period). This result implies that Saudi firms boasting a higher level of tangibility are more flexible when it comes to seeking external financing. However, the presence of uncertainty during the crisis period makes the external financing costly, and therefore, firms will be less likely to raise funds from external sources.
Practical implications
This study has important implications for managers, policymakers and regulators. First, the paper findings provide insights for corporate decision-makers in helping them to focus on internal funds to finance their investment during uncertain times. Second, the findings help managers to understand the role of asset tangibility in raising external funding when firms face financial constraints due to uncertainty. Third, this study also helps corporates to focus on internal funds to finance their investment during the crisis period because EPU and GPR increase the cost of external finance. Finally, the results provide guidelines for policymakers and regulators to make appropriate policy measures to increase the easy availability of external finance during periods of increased EPU and GPR.
Originality/value
This paper is the first to shed light on the impact of internal funds on external financing while paying close attention to the role of EPU and GPR.
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The purpose of this paper is to exploit the effect of equity financing constraints on the firm’s investment in research and development (R&D) by utilizing a quasi-experiment in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to exploit the effect of equity financing constraints on the firm’s investment in research and development (R&D) by utilizing a quasi-experiment in China.
Design/methodology/approach
A difference-in-difference identification strategy is employed to test the treatment effect of the IPO suspension in China. For robustness testing, the authors incorporate cross-sectional variation in external financial dependence to identify the different influences an IPO suspension has on R&D investments for firms across multiple industries through the difference-in-difference-in-difference approach and the authors also adopt a matching approach to check the parallel trend assumption. Moreover, the authors introduce a placebo test to further verify the empirical results.
Findings
Through the empirical analysis, the authors find that the firms subjecting to the IPO suspension are more likely to reduce their investments in R&D than those not affected by the IPO suspension. Besides, the negative effect of equity financing constraints on R&D investments is concentrated on external financial dependent industries. The firms in industries with larger external financial dependence tend to decrease more in their R&D expenditures when they experience the equity financing constraints.
Research limitations/implications
This paper provides a new negative evidence on equity financing constraints on R&D investments link so that contributes to the debate about the effect of the financing constraints on R&D investments.
Practical implications
The study provides a meaningful suggestion for governments to diminish the frictions in the financial market and to improve enterprises’ public financing circumstances by finding that equity financing constraints have negative impacts on firms’ R&D investments.
Originality/value
There are some apprehensions around previous empirical studies investigating the impact of financing constraints on R&D investments as the existing literature is unable to provide an unambiguous method to exactly distinguish and measure the degree of financing constraints the firms confronting with. This paper solves this problem by first utilizing an IPO suspension in China as a quasi-experiment to examine the effect of equity financing constraints. Therefore, it gives insight to solve the problem of measuring financing constraints in future researches.
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Daniel Felix Ahelegbey and Paolo Giudici
The latest financial crisis has stressed the need of understanding the world financial system as a network of interconnected institutions, where financial linkages play a…
Abstract
The latest financial crisis has stressed the need of understanding the world financial system as a network of interconnected institutions, where financial linkages play a fundamental role in the spread of systemic risks. In this paper we propose to enrich the topological perspective of network models with a more structured statistical framework, that of Bayesian Gaussian graphical models. From a statistical viewpoint, we propose a new class of hierarchical Bayesian graphical models that can split correlations between institutions into country specific and idiosyncratic ones, in a way that parallels the decomposition of returns in the well-known Capital Asset Pricing Model. From a financial economics viewpoint, we suggest a way to model systemic risk that can explicitly take into account frictions between different financial markets, particularly suited to study the ongoing banking union process in Europe. From a computational viewpoint, we develop a novel Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm based on Bayes factor thresholding.
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