Financial Development and Investment-Cash Flow Sensitivity

Abstract

Using firm-level data from thirty-five countries around the world, this paper empirically examines whether investment-cash flow sensitivity reflects financial constraints. Recent US studies have raised questions on the prediction that investment-cash flow sensitivity is a measure of financial constraints. Looking at thirty-five countries with varying degrees of financial development, this study tests whether investment-cash flow sensitivity is in fact related to financial constraints. In most countries, the evidence supporting the argument that firms likely facing financially constraints display high investment-cash flow sensitivity is weak. Moreover, the evidence that firms in the absence of developed financial markets display high investment-cash flow sensitivity is also weak. Overall, the results from this international investigation do not support the prediction that investment-cash flow sensitivity reflects financial constraints.