The paper explores the driving forces behind corporate cash holdings by analyzing past literature and extending this research to the behavior of firms after the 2008 recession. I look at the cash to assets and net debt to assets ratios from October 1980 to October 2011 to obtain an understanding of the past and current state of cash holdings. A comprehensive literature review is done on agency costs and transactional motives to give the reader an overview of the costs and benefits of holding cash. This provides the foundation for the precautionary motives for companies today to keep cash as a risk management tool.

Today, the capital structure is an established research area in economics. Capital structure refers to the relationship between equity and liabilities, which through history has been explored through many different aspects. Capital structure is influenced by several factors and the results is ambiguous as to which of these factors are related to capital structure and which can explain the capital structure. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the share price and capital structure as well as investigate which control variable is correlating with capital structure. The study is of quantitative form, where data was collected between 2009-2017 from the 15 largest companies, set at market value, from Large Cap and Mid Cap listings from Nasdaq Stockholm. The result of the study shows that the share price and capital structure have a positive relationship for both lists, also share price could explain variations in the capital structure. The control variables result differ significantly depending on the list and variables. Profitability is the variable that explains the capital structure best, especially on the Large Cap list. Company size has no connection with the capital structure, and the explanation rate is reasonably comparable to share price as a single independent variable. Firm age has no connection with the capital structure and only affects the explanation negatively. / Idag är kapitalstruktur ett etablerat forskningsområde inom företagsekonomi. Kapitalstruktur avser förhållandet mellan eget kapital och skulder vilket har genom tiden utforskats ur mängder av aspekter. Utformningen av kapitalstrukturen påverkas av flera faktorer och idag är empirin tvetydig angående vilka av dessa faktorer som har samband med kapitalstrukturen och vilka som är kan förklara kapitalstrukturen. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka sambandet mellan aktiekursen och kapitalstrukturen samt undersöka vilka kontrollvariabler som korrelerar kapitalstrukturen. Studien är av kvantitativ form och data samlades in mellan 2009–2017 från de 15 största företagen, sett till börsvärde, från Large Cap och Mid Cap listorna från Nasdaq Stockholm. Resultatet från studien visar att aktiekursen och kapitalstrukturen har ett positivt samband för båda listorna och att aktiekursen kan förklara variationer i kapitalstrukturen. Kontrollvariablerna skiljer sig i resultatet markant beroende på lista och variabel. Lönsamhet är den kontrollvariabeln som förklarar kapitalstrukturen bäst bland kontrollvariablerna, speciellt på Large Cap listan. Företagsstorlek har inget samband med kapitalstrukturen och ökar förklaringsgraden någorlunda jämförelsevis med aktiekurs som ensam oberoende variabel. Företagsålder har inget samband med kapitalstrukturen och påverkar förklaringsgraden endast negativt.

This thesis investigates the relationship between sustainability performance and capital structure, measured using the ESG (environmental, social and governance) rating and the debt ratio. In the pursuit of analysing the relationship between the ESG rating and the debt ratio, this study investigates publicly listed companies within the EU/EEA due to its mutual legislative framework on sustainable finance. This research has the intention of shedding light upon if a company can use sustainability ratings to alter their optimal debt levels, operate at higher efficiency with access to cheaper capital, and help the manager maximize firm value. This could help them in decision making processes of financing their business through receiving a better understanding of how the ESG rating affects the capital structure. This knowledge would allow management to better understand how the investments necessary in acquiring the ESG rating affect firm value as well as how they affect the dynamics of financing the firm. This is a deductive and quantitative research based on secondary data, gathered using Thomson Reuters (Eikon) database. Furthermore, this research is a cross-sectional study analysing companies in year 2019. No clear relationship between the two concepts has been found, arriving at the conclusion that the optimal capital structure is not influenced by sustainability initiatives. However, sustainability initiatives should always be encouraged since these generate other beneficial effects. Finally, this research contributes to the current field of knowledge on the topic through analysing the results using the Trade-off Theory, Pecking Order Theory, Agency Theory, Legitimacy Theory and Stakeholder Theory. The results are somewhat aligned with the Trade-off Theory of capital structure and the Pecking Order Theory as well as other more traditional financial theories. One can conclude that sustainability performance is not of importance when it comes to the firm's ability to raise capital or the firm’s capital structure. This tells us that there is still a long way to go and that action needs to be taken before sustainability becomes an essential and well-integrated factor considered in investment decisions. The results may be undesirable, but they also give a fair picture of the financial sector’s priorities as of now and highlight the need for sustainable objectives to align with financial profitability.

Free cash flow and capital structure is a widely covered topic, with several studies conducted in previous years and markets. We set out to examine the possible effects of free cash flow and capital structure on the Stockholm Nasdaq OMX between the years 2018 and 2022. Regarding this period, no previous studies had been conducted that consisted of a population encompassing an entire market. We decided to employ a deductive approach to perform our quantitative research. Using the ORBIS database, we gathered data regarding variables free cash flow, debt ratio, debt-equity ratio, asset turnover ratio, return on equity and return on assets. Return on equity and return on assets worked as our dependent variables, with free cash flow, debt ratio, debt-equity ratio and asset turnover ratio as independent variables. After testing the data for heteroskedasticity and autocorrelation, a fixed effects regression model was both constructed and examined along with a Pearson’s correlation test.  Our results indicated a significant negative relationship between free cash flow and return on equity, as well as a significant positive relationship between asset turnover ratio and return on equity. From these results, we gathered we had detected evidence to support the financial slack theory, which is a theory that highlights the importance of keeping an excess of resources to use when needed. The theory advocates using additional resources and not allowing an overflow of assets to gather dust in inventory.

Att kunna förklara och förutse aktiers avkastning är av stort intresse för aktörer inom finansbranschen. Kunskap inom ämnet kan leda till mer framgångsrika investeringsstrategier och en mer träffsäker analys av ett företags värde. I syfte att bättre kunna förklara aktiers avkastning har flera olika strategier utvecklats. En av dessa modeller är CAPM, som försöker förutse aktiers avkastning genom bland annat dess risk. Modellen har fått utstå omfattande kritik, bland annat för att den exkluderar viktiga variabler och utgår från orealistiska antaganden. Andra strategier använder sig av olika nyckeltal i försök att förklara aktiers avkastning. Tidigare forskning visar att det finns variabler som bidrar till att förklara avkastning. Vad som är säkert är att ingen modell är perfekt, men vissa kan fungera bättre än andra.  Avsikten med studien är 1) att analysera CAPM:s tillförlitlighet på den svenska aktiemarknaden, och 2) analysera om nyckeltalen beta, direktavkastning, företagets storlek, P/E-tal, och skuldkvot kan förklara variationer i aktiers avkastning. För detta ändamål undersöks 80 aktier på Stockholmsbörsen under tidsperioden 2010-2021. Detta för att utreda om det finns en statistiskt signifikant skillnad mellan den faktiska avkastningen och den avkastning som aktierna bör ha enligt CAPM, samt om de nyckeltal som används i studien har ett statistiskt signifikant samband med avkastning.  Resultaten visar att det finns en statistiskt signifikant skillnad mellan den faktiska avkastningen och den enligt CAPM förväntade avkastningen under studieperioden. Slutsatsen är att CAPM inte kan förutse avkastning på Stockholmsbörsen. Resultaten visar också att avkastning har ett positivt samband med direktavkastning och ett negativt samband med skuldkvot under studieperioden. Variablerna P/E, beta och företagets storlek har inte statistiskt signifikanta samband med avkastning på Stockholmsbörsen. / To be able to explain and predict stock returns is of great interest in finance. Knowledge in the matter can result in more successful investment strategies and a more accurate analysis of a company's value. Many different strategies have been developed in order to better be able to explain stock returns. One of these is the CAPM, which aims to predict a stock’s return by estimating its risk. The model has been subject to much critique, for example because it excludes significant variables and contains unrealistic assumptions. Other strategies use key performance indicators in attempts to explain stock returns, and previous research shows that there in fact are variables that help explain variations in stock returns. Even though no model is perfect, some may work better than others.  The purpose of this study is 1) to analyse the performance of CAPM on the Swedish stock market, and 2) analyse if the key performance indicators beta, P/E ratio, dividend yield, firm size and debt ratio can explain variations in stock returns. For this purpose the return of 80 stocks on the Swedish stock market are investigated between 2010-2021. This is done in order to determine if there is a significant difference between the actual returns and the returns predicted by CAPM, and also if the key performance indicators used in this study have had a significant relationship with returns.  The results show that there is a significant difference between actual returns and the returns predicted by CAPM during the time period investigated. From this the conclusion is drawn that CAPM is not able to predict returns on the Swedish stock market. The results also show that stock returns have a positive relationship with dividend yield and a negative relationship with debt ratio during this time period. However, the variables P/E, beta and firm size do not have a significant relationship with stock returns.

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / This study is aimed at investigating the capital structures of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed South African IT firms and compare these to the capital structures of NASDAQ listed US IT firms in order to better understand the capital structures that JSE listed South African firms employ. The study made use of secondary data in the form of ratio analysis from public sources, as well as the published annual financial statements of the firms. The Generalised Method of Moments regression analysis technique was used in order to test the data for relationships between certain ratios. The study found positive relationships between the firm’s capital structure and its return on equity; meaning that firms should make use of their capital structures to maximise their return on equity and as a result, returns for its shareholders. / Hierdie studie is daarop gerig om die kapitaalstrukture van Suid-Afrikaanse IT-ondernemings wat op die Johannesburgse Aandelebeurs (JSE) genoteer is te ondersoek, en dit te vergelyk met die kapitaalstrukture van NASDAQ-genoteerde Amerikaanse IT-ondernemings ten einde die kapitaalstrukture wat JSE-genoteerde Suid-Afrikaanse ondernemings gebruik, beter te verstaan. Die studie het sekondêre data in die vorm van verhoudingsontleding uit openbare bronne, asook die gepubliseerde finansiële jaarstate van die ondernemings gebruik. Die Veralgemeende Metode van Momente-regressieanalisetegniek is gebruik ten einde die data vir verwantskappe tussen bepaalde verhoudings te toets. Die studie het positiewe verwantskappe tussen die ondernemings se kapitaalstruktuur en opbrengs op ekwiteit gevind; dit beteken dat ondernemings hul kapitaalstrukture behoort te gebruik om hul opbrengs op ekwiteit en gevolglik ook opbrengste vir hul aandeelhouers te maksimeer. / Lolu cwaningo kuhloswe ngalo ukuhlola izinhlaka ezifaka imali ezinkampanini zobuchwephese bamakhompuyutha ezisohlwini lwe-Johannesburg Stock Exchange (i-JSE), nokuziqhathanisa nezinhlaka ezifaka imali ezinkampanini zase-US zobuchwepheshe bekhompuyutha ezisohlwini lwe-NASDAQ ukuze kuqondakale kangcono izinhlaka ezifaka imali ezinkampanini zaseNingizimu Afrika ezisohlwini lwe-JSE. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise imininingwane eqoqwe kweminye emayelana nokucwaningwa kwezinombolo etholakala emithonjeni evulelekile emalungwini omphakathi kanye nakwizitatimende zezezimali zonyaka zezinkampani. Kusetshenziswe indlela yokucwaninga ehlawumbiselayo ngokuqhathanisa ubudlelwano neyaziwa ngokuthi yi-Generalised Method of Moments, ukuze kuhlolwe imininingwane eveza ubudlelwano phakathi kwezinombolo ezithile. Ucwaningo luthole ubudlelwano obubonakalayo phakathi kwezinhlaka ezifaka imali enkampanini kanye nenzuzo yayo yamanani amasheya; okusho ukuthi izinkampani kumele zisebenzise izinhlaka zazo ezizifakela imali ukwandisa amathuba enzuzo yamanani amasheya okuyinto ezodala ukuba kuhlomule abanini-bamasheya. / Finance, Risk Management and Banking / M. Com. (Finance)

2011年，美國政府在經歷次級房貸和高軍事支出的雙重壓力下，爆發高度財政赤字的問題，造成歐巴馬政府面臨調高債務比例與債務上限的壓力。然而，在眾多的輿論聲中，美國民主黨與共和黨在八月底達成下列協議，減少政府支出、提高債務比例以及增加債務上限等；但是，是否這些方式將改善美國經濟？本篇文章在動態隨機一般均衡(DSGE)架構下，建立一個封閉經濟體系，並將政府支出加入私人廠商部門，透過公共投資，幫助私人廠商增加產出；並且在政府僅採行公債和徵稅融通下，找出一個最適的債務持有比例，使國內福利為最高。而本文發現政府進入生產部門時，將影響最適債務持有比例。即是，隨著政府支出生產彈性越大，最適債務持有比例也會上升，而在基準參數下，我們將會得到最適債務持有比例為百分之十的結論。 / In 2011, under the pressure of subprime mortgage and high military expenditure, the U.S. government accumulated high fiscal deficit, and the Obama government faced the pressure of raising debt ratio and raising debt ceiling. However, among the huge debates, the Republican Party and Democratic Party reached the deal in August which included cut-down government expenditure, raise debt ratio, raise debt ceiling, and so on. But, will these ways improve the U.S. economy? This paper follows the dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) framework to construct a closed economy, which the government helps private firm to production through public investment. Besides, given that government only undertakes debt financing and tax financing, we try to find an optimal debt ratio which makes the highest domestic welfare. In our finding, if the government enters private production sector, the optimal debt ratio will be influenced. That is, the optimal debt ratio will increase with the production elasticity of government expenditure. Under the benchmark parameter, the optimal debt ratio is 10 percent.

This study will validate several key results from previous studies of bank loan announcement effects by using the data from Hong Kong market following the 1997 Asian crisis. Banks are believed to play a unique role in financial market which could effectively reduce the problem of information asymmetry and moral hazard. Banks could access borrowers’ inside information which is not available to other participants. Thus bank loan announcements convey valuable information to the market, and market response of the stock price should be positive. However, because of the significant reform in both financial market and information market, the valuation of bank loan announcement conveyed need to be reconsidered. This study investigates whether banks are still “unique” in the financial market or whether they are like middlemen between borrowers and investors. Data used in this study is collected from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange Index, and a standard event study with the market model is applied in the research to conduct the empirical analysis. The results suggest bank loan announcements are associated with significantly higher positive abnormal returns than non-bank loan announcements. Based on the market model of event study, market response is found to be significantly positive for loan syndication, short maturity loan and borrower’s debt ratio, and negatively related to firm size and loan size. Bank loans with refinancing and capital expenditure and no specific purpose have significantly higher positive abnormal returns, and borrowers with property and industrial industry type have more significant positive abnormal returns compared to other industry type. The findings also suggest the Hong Kong stock market is efficient in both strong and semi-strong form for bank loan announcements. A strong evidence of information leakage problem is found for non-bank loan announcements. The results are generally consistent with the existing literature.

This thesis aims to analyse the impacts of the entry of the direct foreign investment of Futaba Czech s. r. o. on Havlíčkův Brod region. The introductory part contains a list of the sources reporting on the company{\crq}s investment decisions. Various aspects concerning the localization factors are included as well. Next part focuses on examining Futaba Czech s. r. o. in particular but also partly on Sklo Bohemi, a. s. and Pleas, a. s. They represent the three largest companies in Havlíčkův Brod region. The main aim of the author of the work was to find out how these three companies influence each other, even though each of them is interested in a different branch of industry. The following hypotheses are examined in the thesis: 1) Funding of FCZ by short-term credits indicates an existence of the significant insecurity, which can cause some doubts about company{\crq}s ability to continue to work according to principle based on continuation unlimited by time. 2) Benefit of the direct foreign investment of Futaba for the region is substantial at the present time and the impacts on the social environment are considerable as well. 3) Termination of operations of the company Sklo Bohemia, a. s. has influenced the social conditions of Havlíčkův Brod region significantly and it has had an influence on the operation of the companies Futaba Czech s. r. o. and Pleas, a. s. All three hypotheses have been verified in the thesis. The last part of the work gives the report of the evaluation of the hypotheses in question and a supposition, that the examined company might leave Czech market, because the results of its management are getting worse, is expressed.

This master´s theses is concerned with a recognition of an economic situation „IVes, l. t. d.“. For the valuation were used techniques of financil analysis, fixing hazards, which affect the company. Their real impact on progress of company, afterwards valuation gained finding and formation of the offer, which will make improvement of situation at the market for the next season.