Abstract
We examine how financial constraints affect the relationship between firm performance and the CEO compensation of U.S. listed corporations during the period 1996–2018. Our results indicate that financial constraints negatively moderate the positive relationships between firm performance and CEO compensation. That is, financially constrained firms that perform well financially will increase their CEO compensation at a smaller rate than their counterparts because financially constrained firms tend to hoard cash to save cost and safeguard for future investment, liquidity and leverage policies. However, the negative impact of financial constraints on the positive pay-performance sensitivity is more pronounced in the bonus sample. That is, financially constrained firms control bonus increments to control costs even when their firm performance improves. Overall, our results, which are robust to a battery of tests, explain why prior studies show minimal pay-performance sensitivity and the need to account for the financial constraints of a company in designing CEO compensation.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
