Cash Flow Sensitivity Research Articles

Geopolitical risk and investment-cash flow sensitivity: An empirical analysis for Indian business group-affiliated firms and non-business group-affiliated firms

This study empirically examines the effect of GPR (geopolitical risk) on investment–cash flow sensitivity of Indian business group-affiliated firms and non-business group-affiliated (independent) firms. This study finds that GPR increases investment–cash flow sensitivity. Further, this study reveals that the impact of GPR on investment–cash flow sensitivity is less (greater) for business group-affiliated (independent) firms. In addition, the results of this study are robust across alternate measurements of the GPR (GPR Threat & GPR Act), dependent variable, and excluding the crisis & COVID-19 period.

DOES GREEN FINANCE SUPPORT TO REDUCE THE INVESTMENT SENSITIVITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL FIRMS?

This study aims to examine the financing cash flow sensitivity into the firm investment of Environment Sensitive Firms (ESFs). To improve the robustness of our analysis, we implement cluster regression to analyze the 300- firms listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The findings of this study indicate that high-ESFs have more financing cash flow volatility in firm investment than low-ESFs. The firms can reduce this volatility by integrating green finance with their financing cash flows. Green finance helps to implement sustainable investment practices and reduces investment volatility by providing the solution to societal issues. It also assists to generate stable cash flows, lower investment risk, and a better governance structure.

Nexus of Financing Constraints and Supply Chain Finance: Evidence from Listed SMEs in China

As opposed to developed markets, financing constraints are a more pressing issue among Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in emerging markets. We explore the severity of financing constraints on SMEs, and examine the role of supply chain finance (SCF) in alleviating those constraints, with the focus on a large emerging market: China. Using the panel data of SMEs listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange from 2014 to 2020, we employ robust estimations of panel-corrected standard errors (PCSEs) and robust fixed-effects methods to analyze the issue. Our cash–cash-flow sensitivity model points out that listed SMEs in China show significant cash–cash-flow sensitivity, and financing constraints are prevalent. We document that the development of SCF has a mitigation effect on the financing constraints on the SMEs. Our robustness test with Yohai’s MM-estimator is also supportive of the main finding. Our study indicates the importance of supply chain finance development in alleviating the financing constraints on SMEs and, subsequently, supporting their sustainability journey. Overall, our findings have important policy implications for the stakeholders involved in emerging markets, and there are lessons to be learned from the Chinese experience. There is still much to be explored in the nexus of SCF and the financing difficulties of SMEs in China at present, with much of the extant literature concentrating only on specific financing mechanisms. Thus, our study fills the gap by providing a broad and comprehensive analysis of the issue.

EFEK KONDISI FINANSIAL, STRUKTUR UTANG, DAN CASH HOLDING PADA SENSITIVITAS ARUS KAS INVESTASI

This study aims to analyze the adaptation of companies before the pandemic to post-covid-19. Panel data regression with a fixed model. A sample of 30 companies was divided into two categories, namely companies that experienced problems and those that did not. The sampling technique uses purposive sampling analysis method, secondary data, and panel data with the help of the Eviews statistical tool. The results obtained are partially companies with financial condition (X1) and debt structure (X2) have a positive and significant effect on ICFS. cash holding has no effect on ICFS. Simultaneously the results of financial condition (X1), debt structure (X2), and cash holding (X3) affect the investment cash flow sensitivity variable (Y).
 Keywords: financial condition, debt structure, cash holding, and investment cash flow sensitivity.

Stock liquidity, cash flow sensitivity and the value of cash

Using a sample of U.S. public firms from 1990 to 2017, we find that firms with higher stock liquidity are associated with lower cash flow sensitivity of cash. An analysis of the market value of cash shows that each additional dollar of cash and investment in non-cash assets is worth significantly more in firms with high stock liquidity than in firms with low stock liquidity. Further analysis indicates that firms with high stock liquidity enjoy higher investment efficiency and invest more in capital expenditure and R&D. The reduction in cash flow sensitivity through improved stock liquidity is more pronounced when firms demonstrate lower financial constraint, information asymmetry and risk, and stronger corporate governance (i.e., fewer agency problems). Overall, these results suggest that stock liquidity reduces information asymmetry and the agency costs of free cash flow, thus contributing to value enhancing investments which improves company valuation.

The effect of proximity to political power on corporate cash policy

We expand on prior evidence that national-level policy uncertainty affects corporate cash policies and hypothesize that political geography has a significant effect on corporate cash holdings as bi-annual shifts in firms' location on the political map give rise to both time- and spatially-varying levels of exposure to policy risk. We use a state-level index of political alignment with the President as a proxy for political geography and empirically confirm that companies headquartered in states closely aligned with the President tend to increase their cash holdings. Moreover, and in line with the notion that policy uncertainty associated with proximity to political power provides a precautionary motive for holding more cash, the cash flow sensitivity of cash is more pronounced among firms that are financially constrained and politically unconnected. Finally, our tests suggest that such corporate cash management policy in the face of exposure to policy risk can have value implications.

COVID-19 and investment–cash flow sensitivity: A cross-country analysis

This study investigates investment–cash flow sensitivity during the COVID-19 economic crisis. Using an international sample of publicly listed firms, we find that the sensitivity of capital expenditures to cash flows is significantly reduced during the crisis. When we split the sample into strongly and weakly affected countries, we find that firms in countries affected more seriously by COVID-19 exhibit lower investment responsiveness to cash flows. We further find that investment–cash flow sensitivity is diminished when government aid is greater, firms have more cash on hand, and investment opportunities decline. Our results survive a host of robustness checks. This study contributes to the discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on corporate policies within an international framework.

A semi-parametric analysis of the cash flow sensitivity of cash

Using a semi-parametric approach that allows for a flexible functional form and a large firm-level international dataset, we re-examine the contentious issue of whether the cash flow sensitivity of cash is positive or negative. Our findings suggest that the cash flow sensitivity of cash is negative at lower levels of cash flow and positive at higher levels, which could explain the mixed results in the literature. Additionally, we find that the cash flow sensitivity of cash varies based on different levels of cash flow, across time, and among developing and developed countries for estimates based on non-parametric methods. Our findings contradict those based on parametric methods that assume a linear functional form and suggest no significant asymmetries in the cash flow sensitivity of cash.

Corporate governance, information disclosure and investment - Cash flow sensitivity

We investigate the impact of cash flow on investment spending under the scenarios of underinvestment and overinvestment and the moderating effect of corporate governance and information disclosure on the sensitivity of both. The empirical analysis is conducted by selecting listed companies in the manufacturing sector from 2013 to 2020. We find that companies investment is highly sensitive to cash flow under financing constraints and overinvestment due to agency costs. In the case of overinvestment, improving the level of disclosure significantly mitigates investment-cash flow sensitivity; in the case of underinvestment, improving corporate governance significantly reduces investment-cash flow sensitivity.

The persistence and consequences of share repurchases

AbstractFirms use cash flow primarily to finance increasingly persistent share repurchases. Such internal financing is accompanied by gradual increases in retained earnings in the capital structure, and results in high (low) repurchase (investment) sensitivity to cash flow. These effects are particularly pronounced among financially mature firms. The repurchase–cash flow sensitivity of US firms has increased steadily in recent decades, with steeper increases for financially mature firms. We find that repurchases are not generally associated with underinvestment. Moreover, a nontrivial number of firms would have depleted their retained earnings if they paid dividends instead of repurchased shares.

Financial constraints on credit ratings and cash-flow sensitivity

This study investigates whether financial constraints, as measured by the level of credit ratings and their migrations would affect the firm's cash flow allocation policies and reflect the main financial constraints on a firm's cash flow sensitivity of cash. For a given credit quality shock, control for firm-level characteristics and endogeneity of cash flow allocation, our results suggest that firms with higher credit financial constraints have significantly higher cash flow sensitivities on cash holding, investment, and debt financing activities. Our results provide evidence that credit rating risk has a larger impact on cash flow allocation and drives the financial constraints on cash flow sensitivity for various reasons, including precautionary motivation and restricted access to external financing.

Internal Capital Markets and R&D Investment: Evidence from Korean Chaebols

ABSTRACT This study examines how internal capital markets (ICMs) within business groups affect the financing of research and development (R&D) investments, focusing on Korean chaebols. We find that, on average, chaebol-affiliated firms exhibit lower R&D investment – cash flow sensitivity than standalone firms do. We also find that an affiliated firm’s R&D expenditure is significantly positively associated with the net amount of equity capital received from other affiliates but not significantly related to its own cash flow. These findings indicate that ICMs effectively mitigate affiliated firms’ R&D financing constraints. We further find that this financing constraint mitigation is more pronounced during financial crises and for high-tech firms. Finally, we find that, for chaebols, greater ICM effectiveness leads to better innovative performance. Overall, our study highlights the importance of ICMs for promoting corporate innovation via the reduction of R&D financing constraints.

Firm-Level Political Risk and the Cash Flow Sensitivity of Cash

Firm-Level Political Risk and the Cash Flow Sensitivity of Cash

Do Political connections influence investment decisions? Evidence from India

The study examines the associations between political connections, cash flows, and firm investments of Indian firms. Using a sample of 1,953 listed firms on the National Stock Exchange from 2009 to 2021, we investigate how political connections benefit financially constrained firms. We use both donation and promoter channels of political connections as a proxy for political connection. Our analysis shows that politically connected firms' investment cash flow sensitivities are lower than that of politically non-connected firms. Subsequently, we observe that politically connected, financially constrained firms do not rely heavily on internal cash for investments.

Investment–cash flow sensitivity and investor protection

AbstractWe examine the role of country‐level legal investor protection (i.e., shareholder and creditor protection) on firm investment–cash flow sensitivity (ICFS). Using underexplored research data on investor protection across 21 countries and working with a conservative empirical design, we extend prior literature on the relation between investor protection and ICFS and provide new evidence on how these country‐level attributes interact to explain a firm's ICFS. We find that either the strong legal protection of minority shareholders or the strong legal protection of creditors reduces the sensitivity of investment to internal cash flow. However, in countries with strong levels of both minority shareholder and creditor protection, ICFS increases. Our results remain robust after controlling for several alternative explanations. The results support the argument that overregulation arises when policymakers increase investor protection at levels that lead firms to avoid external sources of finance, hampering firm investment. Our findings suggest that countries face a regulatory trade‐off such that increasing investor protection (either shareholder or creditors protection) enhances financial markets efficiency, but excessive regulation can indeed lead to financial markets inefficiencies.

The impact of economic policy uncertainty and financial development on the sensitivity of corporate cash holding to cash flows

ABSTRACT The paper examines how economic policy uncertainty and financial development affect a firm’s cash-holding policy before and after the global financial crisis. Using Chinese nonfinancial firm data from 1997 to 2018, we obtain three main findings. First, economic policy uncertainty increases corporate cash holdings and its sensitivity to operating cash flows. Second, financial institution and market developments reduce corporate cash-holdings’ cash flow sensitivity. Third, the impact of economic policy uncertainty on corporate cash-holdings’ sensitivity to operating cash flows decreases with financial development. Firms adjust their cash-holding policy in response to changes in economic policy uncertainty and financial development, indicating that macroeconomic factors determine the precautionary motive for holding cash.

The triple‐edged sword of sensitivity of sales, cash flows, and debt to investments: Venture survival and capital investments

Drawing on reliable financial performance data of 192,855 venture‐year observations, representing a total of 66,174 ventures with 8.13% of the ventures failing (5380 ventures), we find that neither sales‐investment sensitivity nor cash‐flow‐investment sensitivity is associated with venture survival. However, debt‐investment sensitivity lowers the hazard of failure. Sales‐investment sensitivity and debt‐investment sensitivity under munificence and dynamism lower the hazard of failure. However, cash‐flow‐investment sensitivity at high levels of dynamism or munificence does not influence the hazard of failure. The effect sizes are small but nonetheless meaningful. The findings have implications for ventures attempting to match performance and capital structure with investment.

Leverage and Investment Cash Flow Sensitivity: Evidence from Muscat Securities Market in Oman

This article investigates the investment cash flow sensitivity (ICFS) and the effect of leverage on the firms’ ICFS by using data from 66 non-financial companies from Muscat Securities Market, Oman for a 7-year period from 2013 to 2019. We used a dynamic panel investment model based on the Euler equation approach and ran dynamic panel regressions using the dynamic panel system generalized method of moments (GMM). We run two regressions: first, testing the sensitivity of investment to the availability of the internal funds; second, testing the effect of firms’ leverage levels on the sensitivity of investment to cash flows. The results showed a significant sensitivity of investment to cash flows for the sample companies. The positive coefficient for the cash flow variable indicates the presence of financing constraints. The results showed that leverage has a significant effect on the ICFS of the companies, indicating that the companies with higher leverage have ICFS.

Cash flows – investment sensitivity under financial constraints: The case of Vietnam

This paper focuses on examining the relation between cash flow and investment within different corporate financial status in the context of Vietnamese market. Using a sample of non-financial quoted firms over the 13-year period from 2005 to 2017; We document a strong positive correlation between corporate investments and cash flows. Importantly, our results indicate that firms suffering lower level of financial constraints appear to experience stronger investment to cash flow sensitivity and vice versa. This finding provides new evidence to re-examine the existing controversy on the use of investment & cash flow co-movement as a measurement of corporate financing constraints.

Financial Constraints and Investment Financing Decisions among Indian Firms in Post Sub Prime Crisis Era

The study investigated the sources of investment financing by Indian non-financial companies and the extent of dependency on internal funds to finance their investment projects since the U.S. Sub-prime mortgage crisis. A balanced panel of 359 firms for the period of 2006-2020 was estimated by GMM, Fixed Effect, Random Effect and OLS Pooled technique for three groups of firms. The result indicated that internal funds were highly important for all categories of firms. Further, higher investment cash flow sensitivity for the smaller firms demonstrated that these firms did not have easy access to capital markets compared to larger firms despite significant reform measures in the Indian financial market since 1991.