Ownership Structure and Firm Performance in the Middle East: A Meta-Analysis

This paper applies a meta-analysis method to investigate the moderating impact of political stability on the relationship between ownership identities and firm performance in the Middle Eastern countries (i.e., the Arab World). The study collected 105 correlations from 46 previous studies with 11,999 observations in 11 Middle Eastern countries. The findings show that most ownership identities such as institutional ownership, government ownership, inside ownership, and family ownership have positive relationship with firm performance. Another interesting finding shows that in countries with political instability, the level of ownership identities such as institutional ownership, foreign ownership, and inside ownership play an important role in controlling companies, which leads to firm performance. The meta-analysis results reveal that different levels of political stability have an impact on the role of the majority shareholders. The findings provide evidence that the performance of ownership identities in the Middle Eastern countries remains effective, especially with the existence of fair protection rights and political stability.

CONCOMITANT OF INSIDE-SHAREHOLDING, GROUP AFFILIATION AND FIRM VALUE: EVIDENCE FROM PAKISTAN

The present study inspects the comparative effects of inside shareholding on firm value for group-affiliated firms and non-group-affiliated firms in Pakistan. The research uses the excess-value as a performance measure by employing a chop-shop approach in treatment effects regression model (TERM). The results reveal that lower level and higher level inside shareholding negatively associated with firms’ value. However, it positively relates at a moderate level. Also, inside shareholding-value relationship differs significantly for group-affiliated firms and non-group-affiliated firms. Firms with inside shareholding at lower level appear to more visible in business groups, and these firms show adverse firms’ value consistent with divergence of interest effect. Nevertheless, inside ownership firms at a higher level, namely standalone firms, negatively affect firm value with entrenchment effect. The findings also confirm non-linearity in inside shareholding-firm value relationships.

Ownership structure and real earnings management: An empirical study on emerging economy

We observe the association amid ownership structure and real earnings management in Bangladesh. Our study takes 2195 firm-year observations which are listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange over the period of 2000-2017. The outcome of the panel least square regression indicates that inside ownership, as well as foreign ownership, is inversely related to real earnings management, whereas institutional ownership is positively related to real earnings management. In particular, firms tend to reduce discretionary expenses to manage earnings if the magnitude of inside ownership is low. In contrast to that, when firms are characterized by more institutional ownership, they are more inclined towards real earnings management through additional price discounts, offering a more friendly credit facility, and lowering discretionary expense. This result is consistent with previous findings. Nevertheless, if firms encounter an absence of foreign ownership, they prefer to manage earnings through operating at over-production levels as well as lowering discretionary expenses. Additionally, we find that corporate governance is playing a beneficial role in limiting real earnings management

Impact of Dividend Tax Change on the Payout Policy of Indian Companies

The article examines the impact of regulatory changes in the tax on dividends on the payout policy of Indian companies. The tax law was recently amended to levy tax on dividends received by large shareholders. As the promoters group is the largest shareholder, this is expected to have a negative impact on the payout policy of companies. Furthermore, companies with larger promoter holdings have a higher motivation to reduce their payout. The study covers 370 companies present in the BSE 500 Index and compares the dividend payout of the companies before and after the introduction of tax levy. The study finds that the newly introduced tax indeed caused a shift in the dividend policy of companies, particularly those companies which have high levels of inside ownership. The findings have significant implications for companies, investors and the government.

Does Managerial Power Increase Selective Hedging? Evidence from the Oil and Gas Industry

This study examines the managerial power-hypothesis of selective hedging, which holds that selective hedging is observed more frequently in companies where managers have greater latitude to execute hedging proposals without serious scrutiny or questioning. The hypothesis is tested using hand-collected data on corporate governance and derivative positions from the oil and gas industry. The results support the view that managerial power increases selective hedging. The main governance dimension associated with selective hedging is the extent of inside ownership. Firms with high inside ownership have excessive variability in their derivative portfolios, were more prone to opportunistic behavior following the great rise in the oil price in the mid-2000s, and have lower realized cash flow from hedging.

Corporate Philanthropy and Risk Management: An Investigation of Reinsurance and Charitable Giving in Insurance Firms

ABSTRACT:Drawing a framework from strategic stakeholder theory and using 1999 to 2010 panel data from the United Kingdom’s (UK) non-life insurance industry, we examine the effect of reinsurance on the decisions to donate to charities, and the amount given. We find that reinsurance substitutes for charitable giving as it optimizes the interests of multiple stakeholders. We further note that corporate giving is directly related to the size and age of insurers, proportion of female directorships and insider ownership, but generally inhibited by chief executive officer (CEO) bonus plans, dominant shareholders, and financial experts on the board. Interestingly, when reinsurance interacts with board-level variables we find that the donations decision is positively related to CEO bonus plans, and negatively linked with inside ownership and the proportion of female board members. Our research results could have important implications for stakeholders.