Dividend Imputation Tax System Research Articles

Net share issues and the cross‐section of equity returns under a dividend imputation tax system

AbstractDespite considerable empirical evidence reporting a negative relationship between net share issuance and subsequent returns, it remains unresolved whether this anomaly is explained by risk or investor irrationality. This study examines the net share issuance anomaly using seasoned equity offerings before and after the introduction of an imputation tax system. We report robust evidence of a negative relationship between net share issuance and returns post‐imputation, but no relationship pre‐imputation. Our results provide evidence to support the international pervasiveness of the net share issuance anomaly, but more importantly suggest that this anomaly may be explained by risk.

New Share Issues and the Cross-Section of Equity Returns Under a Dividend Imputation Tax System

New Share Issues and the Cross-Section of Equity Returns Under a Dividend Imputation Tax System

The Value of Imputation Tax Credits on Australian Hybrid Securities

ABSTRACTHybrid securities are becoming an increasingly important component of the capital structure of Australian firms. While displaying characteristics of both debt and equity, one principal equity attribute of hybrids is their ability to pay franked dividends. This enables resident domestic investors to claim corporate tax payments as a credit against personal tax obligations under Australia's dividend imputation tax system. This paper estimates a value for the ‘franking credits’ that attach to hybrid securities by examining stock price changes around ex‐dividend dates. We add to the literature that examines the ex‐day price changes of ordinary shares (OS) in that the hybrid securities we examine have high dividend yields and are relatively insensitive to market movements. Therefore the signal‐to‐noise ratio is much higher than for OS. Our analysis reveals that cum‐dividend day prices on hybrid securities do not include any value for franking credits. This result is consistent with the notion that the price‐setting investor in the Australian market is a foreign investor who places no value on franking credits.

Taxes and dividend policy under alternative tax regimes

This paper examines changes in corporate dividend policy around the introduction of a dividend imputation tax system. This represented a significant change to the Australian tax framework and allows us to test the effect of differential taxation on corporate dividend policy. Consistent with the tax preference for the distribution of dividends, we find dividend initiations, all dividend payout measures and dividend reinvestment plans increased with the introduction of dividend imputation. Similarly we find that gross dividend payouts are more volatile under dividend imputation. Finally, we find that the increase in dividend payout and initiations differs across firms. In particular, we find that the higher the level of available franking tax credits the higher the firm's gross dividend payout and the more likely the firm is to initiate a dividend.

Relationship between franking credits and the market risk premium

In a dividend imputation tax system, equity investors have three potential sources of return: dividends, capital gains and franking (tax) credits. However, the standard procedures for estimating the market risk premium (MRP) for use in the capital asset pricing model, ignore the value of franking credits. Officer (1994) notes that if franking credits do affect the corporate cost of capital, their value must be added to the standard estimates of MRP. In the present paper, we explicitly derive the relationship between the value of franking credits (gamma) and the MRP. We show that the standard parameter estimates that have been adopted in practice (especially by Australian regulators) violate this deterministic mathematical relationship. We also show how information on dividend yields and effective tax rates bounds the values that can be reasonably used for gamma and the MRP. We make recommendations for how estimates of the MRP should be adjusted to reflect the value of franking credits in an internally consistent manner.

The value of dividend imputation tax credits in Australia

A dividend imputation tax system provides shareholders with a credit (for corporate tax paid) that can be used to offset personal tax on dividend income. This paper shows how to infer the value of imputation tax credits from the prices of derivative securities that are unique to Australian retail markets. We also test whether a tax law amendment that was designed to prevent the trading of imputation credits affected their economic value. Before the amendment, tax credits were worth up to 50% of face value in large, high-yielding companies, but subsequently it is difficult to detect any value at all.

Taxes and Dividend Policy under Alternative Tax Regimes

This paper examines changes in corporate dividend policy around the introduction of a dividend imputation tax system. This represented a significant change to the Australian tax framework and allows us to test the effect of differential taxation on corporate dividend policy. Consistent with the tax preference for the distribution of dividends, we find dividend initiations, all dividend payout measures and dividend reinvestment plans increased with the introduction of dividend imputation. Similarly we find that gross dividend payouts are more volatile under dividend imputation. Finally, we find that the increase in dividend payout and initiations differs across firms. In particular, we find that the higher the level of available franking tax credits the higher the firm's gross dividend payout and the more likely the firm is to initiate a dividend.

Capital Structure Choices and Taxes: Evidence from the Australian Dividend Imputation Tax System

The introduction in 1987 of a dividend imputation tax system in Australia represented a significant change to the tax framework. To the extent that tax incentives influence the use of debt financing, changes in tax laws that alter these incentives will lead to changes in corporate capital structures. This paper examines the changes in corporate capital structure around the introduction of a dividend imputation tax system. The introduction of dividend imputation provides an incentive for firms to (a) reduce the level of debt financing utilized where this incentive varies across firms depending on the firm’s effective corporate tax rate, and (b) increase the level of external equity financing. The results present evidence consistent with these incentives.

Beta and Return: Implications of Australia's Dividend Imputation Tax System

US studies have consistently reported that the relationship between beta and return is less steeply sloped than that implied by the simple CAPM. The introduction of a dividend imputation tax system in Australia and other tax law differences suggest the relationship between beta and return may be more steeply sloped in this country. Empirical evidence subsequent to the introduction of the dividend imputation tax system in July 1987 supports this hypothesis. Further, it is found that no such change occurs in the US market over this time period, which strengthens the conclusion that the finding is tax-driven.

Variance decomposition of stock returns and dividend imputation system

The relative contribution to stock price volatility of news in expected future dividends and in expected future returns in Australia is studied. The effect of the dividend imputation tax system on such contribution is investigated. It is found that news in expected future returns contributes more to price volatility in recent observations. Compared to an economy under the classical tax system such as the US, the correlation between the news about dividends and the news about returns is substantially negatively higher under the imputation system. This may be explained by a stronger financial signalling effect of franked dividend news under such a system.

A simple model for pricing imputation tax credits under Australias dividend imputation tax system

The equilibrium value of imputation tax credits has important implications for corporate and portfolio investment in the Australian capital market. Two features of Australia's tax credit system are (i) the credits are available only to a subset of investors (taxable residents) and (ii) trading in tax credits is restricted. Modelling these features indicates that non-residents will have zero demand for some Australian assets. For assets held by non-residents, the value of tax credits will be a function of the aggregate demand for risky assets by taxable residents relative to the demand of all investors in the Australian market. This suggests that the value of tax credits hinges on the extent to which the Australian market is integrated with foreign markets. Finally, if the restriction on selling tax credits is relaxed, the equilibrium value of tax credits will be higher than this simple model indicates.

Adapting the APV valuation methodology and the beta gearing formula to the dividend imputation tax system

AbstractThis paper adapts the APV valuation methodology and the formula for gearing beta to the Australian dividend imputation tax system. The APV formulation is shown to be able to be applied in the dividend imputation tax system by simply replacing the statutory tax rate with an effective tax rate in the calculation of the “cash flows”. The effect of the dividend imputation tax system on a company's value is shown to be easily bounded using the APV formulation by making the extreme assumption that imputation credits are either: fully distributed and fully valued by the market; or that they are worthless. This paper also quantifies the effect of changing the assumed value of imputation credits on: (i) the value of the interest tax shield of debt; and (ii) the levered, or equity, beta.

The valuation of projects under the dividend imputation tax system

AbstractThis paper proves that a modified weighted average cost of capital (“WACC”) valuation methodology is a rigorous and practicable method of valuing projects and companies under the Australian dividend imputation tax system. This methodology uses an effective tax rate in calculating both the discount rate and the ungeared after tax cash flow. A cash flow after effective corporate tax is shown to be equivalent to a cash plus value of imputation credit stream. Importantly, this valuation methodology is applicable to returns that are non‐uniform and of finite duration. Also examined is the discounting of equity returns at the company's cost of equity capital. A worked example is presented to clarify and quantify the effects discussed.

THE COST OF EQUITY UNDER THE AUSTRALIAN DIVIDEND IMPUTATION TAX SYSTEM

Abstract:This paper derives a Capital Asset Pricing Model (“CAPM”) in the context of the Australian dividend imputation tax system. The effect of dividend imputation on the estimated risk premium is discussed. The structure and implications of the derived CAPM are also examined.