Dividend payouts; Agency conflicts; ESG reporting; International sample
Abstract :
[en] Governments and stock exchanges worldwide are increasingly mandating firms to disclose their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. This study examines whether firms adjust their dividend policies following the implementation of mandated ESG reporting. Leveraging the staggered adoption of mandatory ESG reporting using a large international dataset spanning from 1996 to 2019, we find a substantial and negative impact on corporate dividends. Specifically, we observe that firms subject to mandatory ESG reporting, on average, reduce their dividend payout ratios by approximately 25% immediately after its implementation. Further analysis reveals that this response is more pronounced for firms facing higher agency conflicts and operating in environments with greater information asymmetry, as these firms are more difficult to monitor. Additionally, we find that the impact is stronger for firms located in countries with less developed stock markets and higher financial constraints. Exploiting cross-country variations in the regulatory framework of ESG reporting, we find a heightened response in jurisdictions with stricter disclosure requirements.
Disciplines :
Finance
Author, co-author :
Chen, Xiaoqi; Xiamen University, China
Li, Weiping; University of Macau, Macao
Torsin, Wouter ; Université de Liège - ULiège > HEC Liège Research > HEC Liège Research: Financial Management for the Future
Tsang, Albert; Southern University of Science and Technology, China
Language :
English
Title :
Dividend policy under mandatory ESG reporting
Publication date :
18 April 2024
Journal title :
Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money
Ahmad, M.F., Aziz, S., El-Khatib, R., Kowalewski, O., Firm-level political risk and dividend payout. Int. Rev. Financ. Anal., 86, 2023, 102546.
Allen, F., Qian, J., Qian, M., Law, finance, and economic growth in China. J. Financ. Econ. 77:1 (2005), 57–116.
Andreeva, D., Bochmann, P., Schneider, J., Evaluating the impact of dividend restrictions on euro area bank market values. Working Paper, 2023.
Ang, J.S., Cole, R.A., Lin, J.W., Agency costs and ownership structure. J. Financ. 55 (2000), 81–106.
Angrist, J.D., Pischke, J.-S., Chapter 4: Instrumental variables in action: sometimes you get what you need. Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist's Companion, 2009, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 113–220.
Bae, K.-H., Ghoul, S.E., Guedhami, O., Zheng, X., Board reforms and dividend policy: international evidence. J. Financ. Quant. Anal. 56 (2021), 1296–1320.
Baker, A.C., Larcker, D.F., Wang, C.C.Y., How much should we trust staggered difference-in-differences estimates?. J. Financ. Econ. 144 (2022), 370–395.
Baker, M., Wurgler, J., A catering theory of dividends. J. Financ. 59:3 (2004), 1125–1165.
Basu, S., The conservatism principle and the asymmetric timeliness of earnings. J. Account. Econ. 24 (1997), 3–37.
Beck, T., Financial dependence and international trade. Rev. Int. Econ. 11 (2003), 296–316.
Benlemlih, M., Corporate social responsibility and dividend policy. Res. Int. Bus. Financ. 47 (2019), 114–138.
Bertrand, M., Mullainathan, S., Enjoying the quiet life? Corporate governance and managerial preferences. J. Polit. Econ. 111 (2003), 1043–1075.
Biggerstaff, L., Cicero, D.C., Puckett, A., Suspect CEOs, unethical culture, and corporate misbehavior. J. Financ. Econ. 117 (2015), 98–121.
Bliss, B.A., Cheng, Y., Denis, D.J., Corporate payout, cash retention, and the supply of credit: evidence from the 2008–2009 credit crisis. J. Financ. Econ. 115:3 (2015), 521–540.
Bourveau, T., Lou, Y., Wang, R., Shareholder litigation and corporate disclosure: evidence from derivative lawsuits. J. Account. Res. 56:3 (2017), 797–842.
Brav, A., Graham, J.R., Harvey, C.R., Michaely, R., Payout policy in the 21st century. J. Financ. Econ. 77:3 (2005), 483–527.
Brockman, P., Unlu, E., Earned/contributed capital, dividend policy, and disclosure quality: an international study. J. Bank. Financ. 35:7 (2011), 1610–1625.
Byrne, J., O'Connor, T., How do creditors respond to disclosure quality? Evidence from corporate dividend payouts. J. Int. Finan. Markets. Inst. Money 49 (2017), 154–172.
Cejnek, G., Randl, O., Zechner, J., The COVID-19 pandemic and corporate dividend policy. J. Financ. Quant. Anal. 56:7 (2021), 2389–2410.
Cengiz, D., Dube, A., Lindner, A., Zipperer, B., The effect of minimum wages on low-wage jobs. Q. J. Econ. 134 (2019), 1405–1454.
Chen, X., Hsieh, C.-C., Tsang, A., Xiang, Y., Cross-border enforcement of securities laws and dividend payouts. Br. Account. Rev., 54(6), 2022, 101117.
Chen, Y.C., Hung, M., Wang, Y., The effect of mandatory CSR disclosure on firm profitability and social externalities: evidence from China. J. Account. Econ. 65:1 (2018), 169–190.
Chen, J., Leung, W.S., Goergen, M., The impact of board gender composition on dividend payouts. Finance 43 (2017), 86–105.
Chen, X., Tang, L., Hu, H., Heterogeneous dividend preferences of Chinese individual and institutional investors. China Financ. Rev. Int. 4 (2014), 326–342.
Cheng T., 2016. Accessing China's growth via dividends. Available online at: https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/documents/research/research-accessing-chinas-growth-via-dividends.pdf.
Cheung, A.W., Hu, M., Schwiebert, J., Corporate social responsibility and dividend policy. Account. Finance 58:3 (2016), 787–816.
Choi, J.H., Kim, J.B., Liu, X., Simunic, D.A., Audit pricing, legal liability regimes, and Big 4 premiums: theory and cross-country evidence. Contemp. Account. Res. 25 (2008), 55–99.
Choi, J.H., Kim, J.B., Liu, X., Simunic, D.A., Cross-listing audit fee premiums: theory and evidence. Account. Rev. 84 (2009), 1429–1463.
Christensen, H.B., Floyd, E., Yao Liu, L., Maffett, M., The real effects of mandated information on social responsibility in financial reports: evidence from mine-safety records. J. Account. Econ. 64:2–3 (2017), 284–304.
DeAngelo, H., DeAngelo, L., Skinner, D.J., Are dividends disappearing? Dividend concentration and the consolidation of earnings. J. Financ. Econ. 72:3 (2004), 425–456.
Djankov, S., La Porta, R., Lopez-de-Silanes, F., Shleifer, A., The law and economics of self-dealing. J. Financ. Econ. 88 (2008), 430–465.
Doukas, J.A., Kim, C., Pantzalis, C., Security analysis, agency costs, and company characteristics. Financ. Anal. J. 56 (2000), 54–63.
Ellili, N.O.D., Impact of environmental, social and governance disclosure on dividend policy: What is the role of corporate governance? Evidence from an emerging market. Corp. Soc. Respon. Environ. Manage. 29 (2022), 1396–1413.
Fauver, L., Hung, M., Li, X., Taboada, A.G., Board reforms and firm value: Worldwide evidence. J. Financ. Econ. 125 (2017), 120–142.
Feyen, E., Gispert, T.A., Kliatskova, T., Mare, D.S., Financial sector policy response to COVID-19 in emerging markets and developing economies. J. Bank. Financ., 133, 2021, 106184.
Fiechter, P., Hitz, J.-M., Lehmann, N., Real effects of a widespread CSR reporting mandate: evidence from the European Union's CSR directive. J. Account. Res. 60 (2022), 1499–1549.
Fonseka, M., Richardson, G., 2023. The effect of mandatory corporate social responsibility disclosure and performance on firms’ dividend decisions: Evidence from China. Economic Modelling, Forthcoming.
Galbreath, J., ESG in focus: the Australian evidence. J. Bus. Ethics 118 (2013), 529–541.
Goodacre, H., 2023. The increasing popularity of share buybacks outside the US. Available online at: https://www.schroders.com/en-gb/uk/intermediary/insights/the-increasing-popularity-of-share-buybacks-outside-the-us/.
Goodman-Bacon, A., Difference-in-differences with variation in treatment timing. J. Econ. 225:2 (2021), 254–277.
Goyal, A., Muckley, C., Cash dividends and investor protection in Asia. Int. Rev. Financ. Anal. 29 (2013), 31–43.
Goyal, A., Jategaonkar, S.P., Muckley, C.B., Why do privatized firms pay higher dividends?. Finance, 60, 2020, 101493.
Grewal, J., Richardson, G.D., Wang, J., 2022. The effect of mandatory carbon reporting on greenwashing. Working paper.
Hail, L., Tahoun, A., Wang, C., Dividend payouts and information shocks. J. Account. Res. 52 (2014), 403–456.
Hall, J.D., Palsson, C., Price, J., Is Uber a substitute or complement for public transit?. J. Urban Econ. 108 (2018), 36–50.
Harakeh, M., Lee, E., Walker, M., The effect of information shocks on dividend payout and dividend value relevance. Int. Rev. Financ. Anal. 61 (2019), 82–96.
He, J., Tian, X., Yang, H., Zuo, L., Asymmetric cost behavior and dividend policy. J. Account. Res. 58 (2020), 989–1021.
Hsu, P.-H., Tian, X., Xu, Y., Financial development and innovation: Cross-country evidence. J. Financ. Econ. 112 (2014), 116–135.
Ioannis, I., Serafeim, G., 2019. The consequences of mandatory corporate sustainability reporting. In: The Oxford Handbook of Corporate Social Responsibility: Psychological and Organizational Perspectives, edited by Abagail McWilliams, Deborah E. Rupp, Donald S. Siegel, Günter K. Stahl, and David A. Waldman, 452–489. Oxford University Press.
Jensen, M.C., Agency costs of free cash flow, corporate finance, and takeovers. Am. Econ. Rev. 76 (1986), 323–329.
Jensen, G.R., Solberg, D.P., Zorn, T.S., Simultaneous determination of insider ownership, debt, and dividend policies. J. Financ. Quantitat. Anal. 27:2 (1992), 247–263.
Kaufmann, D., Kraay, A., Mastruzzi, M., The worldwide governance indicators: methodology and analytical issues. Hague J. Rule LaGoodacrew 3 (2011), 220–246.
Krieger, K., Mauck, N., Pruitt, S.W., The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dividends. Financ. Res. Lett., 42, 2021, 101910.
Krueger, P., Sautner, Z., Tang, D.Y., Zhong, R., The effects of mandatory ESG disclosure around the world. Working Paper., 2021.
La Porta, R., Lopez-de-Silanes, F., Shleifer, A., Vishny, R.W., Legal determinants of external finance. J. Financ. 52 (1997), 1131–1150.
Leuz, C., Nanda, D., Wysocki, P.D., Earnings management and investor protection: an international comparison. J. Financ. Econ. 69 (2003), 505–527.
Lin, K.J., Lu, X., Zhang, J., Zheng, Y., State-owned enterprises in China: a review of 40 years of research and practice. China J. Account. Res. 13:1 (2020), 31–55.
Lopez-de-Silanes, F., Shleifer, A., La Porta, R., Vishny, R., Agency problems and dividend policies around the world. J. Financ. 55 (2000), 1–33.
Martins, T.C., Novaes, W., Mandatory dividend rules: do they make it harder for firms to invest?. Finance 18 (2012), 953–967.
Maubane, P., Prinsloo, A., Van Rooyen, N., Sustainability reporting patterns of companies listed on the Johannesburg securities exchange. Public Relat. Rev. 40:2 (2014), 153–160.
Mbanyele, W., Muchenje, L., Li, Y., Huang, H., Wang, F., 2022. Corporate social responsibility and green innovation: evidence from mandatory CSR disclosure laws. Economics Letters, Forthcoming.
McKnight, P.J., Weir, C., Agency costs, corporate governance mechanisms and ownership structure in large UK publicly quoted companies: a panel data analysis. Q. Rev. Econ. Finance 49 (2009), 139–158.
Michelon, G., Rodrigue, M., Trevisan, E., The marketization of a social movement: Activists, shareholders and CSR disclosure. Acc. Organ. Soc., 80, 2020, 101074.
Ni, X., Zhang, H., Mandatory corporate social responsibility disclosure and dividend payouts: evidence from a quasi-natural experiment. Account. Finance 58 (2019), 1581–1612.
Oster, E., Unobservable selection and coefficient stability: Theory and evidence. J. Bus. Econ. Stat. 37:2 (2019), 187–204.
PwC (2022). ESG-focused institutional investment seen soaring 84% to US$33.9 trillion in 2026, making up 21.5% of assets under management: PwC report. Available online at: https://www.pwc.com/id/en/media-centre/press-release/2022/english/esg-focused-institutional-investment-seen-soaring-84-to-usd-33-9-trillion-in-2026-making-up-21-5-percent-of-assets-under-management-pwc-report.html.
Richardson, G., Wang, B., Zhang, X., Ownership structure and corporate tax avoidance: evidence from publicly listed private firms in China. J. Contemp. Account. Econ. 12 (2016), 141–158.
Ye, D., Deng, J., Liu, Y., Szewczyk, S.H., Chen, X., Does board gender diversity increase dividend payouts? Analysis of global evidence. Finance 58 (2019), 1–26.
Zhou, J., Booth, L., Chang, B., Import competition and disappearing dividends. J. Int. Bus. Stud. 44 (2013), 138–154.