Financial constraints for investment in Brazil

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicente Lima Crisóstomo ◽  
Félix Javier López Iturriaga ◽  
Eleuterio Vallelado González

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to verify the existence of financial constraints for investment in Brazil, an emerging market with growing international visibility. Design/methodology/approach – Using panel data methodology and generalized method of moments (GMM), the paper estimates dynamic investment models based on the Euler equation and Tobin's q for a panel data set of 199 Brazilian non-financial firms for the time period 1995-2006. Findings – Results show that Brazilian firms face financial constraints since their investments depend on internally generated funds. Results are robust to different investment models based on the Euler equation, also controlling for growth opportunities. Significant investment-cash flow sensitivity has been found for the whole sample of firms. Subsamples of firms considered as under financial constraints, according to dividend payout and equity issuance policies, have higher investment-cash flow sensitivity. Investment-cash flow sensitivity of financially constrained firms in Brazil is higher than that in the UK and in Romania, a transition economy. Originality/value – The results extend empirical evidence of financial constraints in Brazil. The paper contributes to the literature by assessing the firms’ financial constraint status on an annual basis, and by using panel data methodology and GMM to estimate dynamic models of investment that take into account the proposals of the hierarchy of finance theory. In addition, the paper controls for growth opportunities. Capital market imperfections affect firm investment in Brazil and such effects are even stronger for financially constrained firms.

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasir Riaz ◽  
Yasir Shahab ◽  
Robina Bibi ◽  
Shumaila Zeb

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide new insights about investment-cash flow sensitivities (ICFS) as a representative of financial constraints, by examining panel data consisting of 288 listed firms in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a panel data methodology and first difference generalized method of moments to control the problems of heterogeneity and endogeneity. By five different criteria, estimations are made for full and pre-classified sub-samples. Sargan test and Arellano-Bond serial correlation statistic are used for identification and validation of instruments and model. Findings According to the results, the ICFS has increased monotonically with the level of financial constraints. Further, the results depict that ICFS for the constrained group is much higher as compared to the unconstrained group. Overall, the result illustrates positively significant ICFS. Practical implications This study confirms signs of imperfections in the capital market, which leads to financial markets inaccessibility preceded by high under-investment costs and low social and economic development. Thus, proper policy designing and instigation are necessary for the subsidies, taxation, and foreign direct investment and later for financial market development and promotion of private corporate investment. Originality/value Previous studies have mostly focused on developed countries where large listed companies work in well-developed financial markets and do not face severe financial constraints because of the greater market integration (Bekaert et al., 2011, 2013) and superior investor protection laws (Djankov et al., 2008; La porta et al., 1998). However, this study focuses on listed companies from the emerging Pakistani market, which will bring forth the interesting aspects of ICFS and will enhance the existing literature effectively.


2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-582
Author(s):  
Walter Eclache da Silva ◽  
Eduardo Kayo ◽  
Roy Martelanc

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether companies that contracted loans from the Brazilian National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) between 2002 and 2014 were able to invest more than companies that did not. The literature on financial constraints, particularly that based on the investment-cash flow sensitivity model, is among the most studied and controversial in the area of finance, and the discussion on the role of development banks is equally controversial. Design/methodology/approach The main econometric model of this study was based on the investment-cash flow sensitivity model, with the incorporation of a binary variable that captures the role of the BNDES. This model is applied to a sample of companies listed on the B3 from 2002 to 2014. Findings This study shows that loans from the BNDES amplify the effects of cash flow on investments, generating a kind of credit multiplier. An important role of development banks is to reduce the financial constraints typical of developing countries. Research limitations/implications The use of the cash flow sensitivity model in companies that contracted loans from the BNDES is a relevant instrument to test the effect of the BNDES on companies with financial constraints. Practical implications The contracting of BNDES loans by companies can affect both capital structure and cash generation, particularly in companies or years in which there was financial constraint. Social implications Due to the nature of the BNDES as a development bank, there are ramifications in terms of the generation of employment and income inherent to the mission of this type of institution. Knowing the multiplier effect on the cash flow potential of companies has a direct impact on their preservation, enabling them to maintain and expand the supply of jobs. Originality/value This study is the first to integrate two important areas of study. From the theoretical perspective, this study provides evidence on the relationship between the BNDES and company financial constraints that open new avenues of research. From the managerial point of view, the evidence of the multiplier effect is highly important for the management of the capital structure and cash flow of companies.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tae-Nyun Kim

Purpose – This paper aims to propose several factors which can explain the negative relationship between financial constraints and investment-cash flow sensitivity. Design/methodology/approach – The author uses traditional fixed effects model and minimum distance panel estimation by Erickson and Whited (2000) to estimate investment-cash flow sensitivity in the cash flow-augmented investment equation. In addition, principal component analysis is used to construct a financial constraints measure. Findings – First, it was found that substitutability between cash holdings and free cash flow can partially explain why financially constrained firms do not depend on cash flow as heavily as we expect. Second, it was confirmed that the level of net external financing can also partially explain the investment-cash flow sensitivity puzzle. Furthermore, it was argued that the influence of cash holdings and external financing on investment-cash flow sensitivity is caused by the low level of internal cash flow for financially constrained firms. This argument is supported by our findings from an examination of investment-cash flow sensitivity for bank-dependent firms during the recession periods. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the literature by suggesting possible partial explanations for the contradictory relationship between investment-cash flow sensitivity and financial constraints.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Le Hong Ngoc Ha ◽  
An Thai

PurposeBased on a sample of 1,435 Vietnamese listed firms over the period from 2005 to 2017, this study examines the sensitivity of unexpected investment to free cash flow and its mechanism.Design/methodology/approachWe tested three hypotheses using two-step system-GMM to investigate investment–cash flow sensitivity for various firm scenarios while accounting for confounding variables.FindingsFirms with negative free cash flow are more likely to engage in underinvestment; conversely, overinvestment is found primarily in firms with positive free cash flow. In terms of the mechanism, while underinvesting decisions are caused mainly by financial constraints, overinvesting behaviour primarily resulted from agency problems, typically in the form of principal-principal conflicts. Interestingly, under the impact of negative cash flow observations, financial constraints tend to decrease investment–cash flow sensitivity. Conversely, the agency costs hypothesis reveals that agency problems are more likely to increase investment–cash flow sensitivity.Originality/valueThese findings not only contribute to the current corporate literature but also provide some important practical implications for stock market investors, corporate managers, and policy-setting bodies, specifically in the Vietnamese market.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 943-958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johnson Worlanyo Ahiadorme ◽  
Agyapomaa Gyeke-Dako ◽  
Joshua Yindenaba Abor

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of debt holdings on the sensitivity of firms’ investment to availability of internal funds. Design/methodology/approach For a panel data set of 27 Ghanaian listed firms for the period 2007–2013, the paper applies the Euler equation approach to the empirical modeling of investment. Findings The study finds support for the assertion that listed firms face less severe corporate control problems and lower financing constraints, and thus, have lower investment cash flow sensitivities. The study also finds that a significant positive sensitivity of investment to internal funds is associated with firms that have high debt holdings. Practical implications An implication of this study is that firms with high debt holdings 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. Originality/value Empirical literature document that in the presence of market imperfections, investments of financially constrained firms become sensitive to the availability of internal finance. There are also contradictory evidences regarding the pattern of the observed investment cash flow sensitivity. This study examines the effect of debt holdings on the sensitivity of firms’ investment to availability of cash flow. This is yet to be empirically tested despite some theoretical explanations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-42
Author(s):  
Gaurav Gupta ◽  
Jitendra Mahakud

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the macroeconomic condition on investment-cash flow sensitivity (ICFS) of Indian firms and examine whether the effect of macroeconomic condition on ICFS depends on the size and group affiliation of the firm. Design/methodology/approach An empirical investigation is conducted using a dynamic panel data model or more specifically system generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation technique. Findings Empirical findings postulate that the availability of cash flow influences the investment decisions which depicts that Indian manufacturing firms are internally as well as externally financially constrained. This study finds that good economic condition (period of high GDP growth rate) reduces the ICFS, although this effect is stronger for small-sized and standalone firms than the large-sized and business group affiliated firms. The authors find that macroeconomic condition has a positive and significant effect on investment decisions. Research limitations/implications This study has considered only the non-financial sector. The future research could explore the effect of macroeconomic condition on ICFS might be affected by firm other characteristics such as firm age and firm capital structure. Social implications The government should provide loan on the low rate to the small-sized firms and standalone firms because it is very difficult for these firms to finance their investment during the bad economic condition (period of low high GDP growth rate). Originality/value This study contributes to the existing literature by analyzing the impact of the macroeconomic condition on ICFS as well as investment decisions of the Indian manufacturing firms, which is an unexplored issue from an emerging market perspective. To the best of my knowledge, this is a first-ever study which explores the effect of macroeconomic condition on investment decisions with respect to business group affiliation and firm size.


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