Payout policies is one of the most discussed topics in corporate finance. Since Miller & Modigliani (1961) dividend irrelevance theory, which was based on perfect markets, many theories have been developed in order to incorporate market imperfections to payout decisions. Numerous scholars have been trying to explain why companies pay dividends, whether they should compensate investors with alternative methods such as share repurchases or not distribute cash at all. The theme has gained lots of attention during the 21-st century driven by the subprime financial crisis in 2008 and mostly recently, in 2020, due to economic impacts brought by the Covid 19 pandemic. Another important aspect that makes the study of payout policy relevant in the 21-st century is the unique impacts of unveiled trends such as globalization and volatile markets, increased importance of ecology and sustainability, emergency of fast growth firms (mainly in the Tech industry) and change characteristics of listed firms. Globally there is a tendency of reduction in the number of listed firms and also deterioration in the quality of earnings. Additionally, there is no consensus about which factors influence a firm propensity of distributing cash to shareholders, which makes the topic very intriguing. Previous research has been conducted mainly within US firms. Few studies have been conducted regarding payout policies in the Nordic countries and most of them give little attention to share repurchases and payout policy determinants. Therefore, we decided to conduct a study regarding the patterns and determinants of payout policy in the 21-st century with focus on the Nordic countries. The purposes of the study are: first, to understand the pattern of payout policies in the Nordic countries during the 21-st century and second determine if there is a relationship between a number of firm’s selected factors and firm’s payout policy. As a sub purpose we intend to examine whether the Covid 19 pandemic had any effect on Nordic firm’s payout policies. The factors investigated, namely: debt, profit, retained earnings, growth opportunities, cash holdings, size and age were identified through a detailed literature review. We collected data from Thomson Reuters DataStream Eikon covering the period between 2000 and 2020 for 1,153 firms from all Nordic countries: Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The study follows a quantitative research method with a deductive approach, and we have based the theoretical framework on the following theories: Miller-Modigliani dividend irrelevance theory, Signaling theory, Agency theory, Life-cycle theory and Substitution and Flexibility hypotheses. In order to determine whether there is a relationship between the companies selected factors and the payout ratios we conducted ordinary least square (OLS) correlation analysis. Additional regression analysis was conducted to verify possible impacts of Covid 19 on Nordic payout policies. Results indicate that some firms’ selected characteristics such as debt, size and age have an impact on Nordic firms’ payout policy during the 21-st century. Larger firms with lower debt are more willing to pay cash dividends, while older firms tend to present higher levels of share repurchase. Firms’ characteristics showed no impact on changes in payout ratios during the initial period of Covid 19.

Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht in welchem Ausmaß Manager Optimismus finanzielle Entscheidungen von Unternehmen beeinflusst. Der erste Teil der Dissertation analysiert den Einfluss von Optimismus auf die Ausgabe von Fremdkapital. Optimistische Manager überschätzen die zukünftigen Erfolgsaussichten ihrer Firma. Daher könnten sie Verträge bevorzugen, die die Kuponzahlungen an die zukünftige Entwicklung des Kreditrisikos koppeln (sogenannte PSD Verträge). Diese Hypothese wird empirisch bestätigt. Ein weiteres Ergebnis der empirischen Analysen ist, dass in Firmen mit optimistischen Managern die Kreditqualität nach Ausgabe von PSD sinkt. Der zweite Teil untersucht den Zusammenhang zwischen Manager Optimismus und Spekulation mit Finanzderivaten in Unternehmen. Optimistische Manager, die ihre Fähigkeiten generell überschätzen, könnten irrtümlicherweise denken, dass sie mit Hilfe von Derivaten in der Lage sind den Markt zu schlagen und abnormale Renditen zu erzielen. Die Studie untersucht Derivatetransaktionen von Goldproduzenten in Nordamerika. Diese Industrie ist besonders interessant durch die ausführliche Ausweisung der Derivatepositionen und durch das klare Exposure zum Goldpreisrisiko. Das Ergebnis der Studie bestätigt die Hypothese dass optimistische Manager in größerem Ausmaß spekulieren und mit den Spekulationen letztendlich Verluste produzieren. Der letzte Teil der Arbeit untersucht die Auszahlungspolitik von Firmen mit optimistischen Managern. Optimistische Manager überschätzen durch ihre verzerrte Wahrnehmung den Wert der Firma und sollten daher eher zu Aktienrückkäufen als zu Dividendenzahlungen neigen. Die empirischen Ergebnisse der Arbeit bestätigen diese Voraussage. Optimistische Manager ersetzen Dividenden mit Aktienrückkäufen, das absolute Niveau der Auszahlungen unterscheidet sich jedoch nicht zwischen Firmen mit optimistischen und rationalen Managern. / This work analyses the impact of managerial optimism on financial policies of firms. The first part investigates the effect of optimism on debt contract design. Optimistic managers overestimate the credit quality of their firms and should be more likely to issue debt contracts that link coupon payments to the future credit risk of their firms (PSD contracts). This prediction is confirmed empirically. Further, firms with optimistic managers that issue PSD experience future deteriorations in their credit quality. The second part analyses the relation between managerial optimism and corporate speculation with financial derivatives. Optimistic managers overestimate their abilities and should be more likely to time markets because they believe that they have superior market timing abilities. The study uses data on North American gold producers because these firms disclose detailed data on their derivative positions and have a clear exposure to the gold price. The empirical results confirm the prediction that optimistic engage in more speculation with financial derivatives and that the cash flow resulting from speculation is lower relative to firms with rational managers. The last past analyses the relation between managerial optimism and a firm’s payout policy. As a consequence of their biased beliefs, optimistic managers perceive their firm’s equity as undervalued and should therefore be more likely to prefer share repurchases over cash dividends. The empirical analyses confirm this prediction: Firms with optimistic managers use more share repurchases relative to firms with rational managers. However, the total amount of payouts does not differ between firms with optimistic and rational managers.

La tesi si focalizza sull'analisi dell'impatto della tassazione sulle scelte finanziarie delle imprese. nella prima parte dal lavoro viene presentata una review della letteratura teorica di riferimento. Successivamente vengono effettuate due diverse analisi empiriche finalizzate a spiegare quali siano le determinanti della politica di indebitamento e dei dividendi di imprese quotate dell'Area Euro e come esse si siano modificate dopo l'introduzione della moneta unica. / This research is implemented to investigate on the impact of taxation on corporate financial decisions. In particular two main financial policies are considered: the capital structure policy and the payout policy. This corporate dimensions are investigated making use of empirical approaches on Euro-firms data to investigate also on the impact of the introduction of the Euro on the same issues.

Research object: export sponsorship of agricultural and food products. Research subject: export subsidies and their influence on Lithuanian agricultural foreign trade. Research aim: prediction of alternative developmental trends on agricultural economy in case of export subsidies revocation of agricultural and food products since 2013. Objectives: • to analyse theoretical rules of export sponsorship policy; • to analyse Lithuanian export sponsorship policy of agricultural and food products; • to test influence of export subsidies on Lithuanian foreign trade expansion of agricultural and food products; • to predict of alternative developmental trends on agricultural economy in case of export subsidies revocation of agricultural and food products since 2013. Research methods: • in case of prospect and analyse of theoretical grounds on international trade policy also evolution of Lithuanian foreign trade policy used common scientific methods - analysis and synthesis of scientific literature and juridical/law documents; • in case of valuation of export subsidies influence on Lithuanian agricultural and food products foreign trade expansion used economical - statistical methods for data compilation and analysis; • in case of compute and systematize of statistical information used means of bunching, comparison and diagrammatical representation.

Bhattacharyya（2007）建立一個連結企業管理階層薪酬與現金股利的模型。該模型指出在既定的可用現金下，企業管理階層薪酬與現金股利支付率呈負相關。本研究參考上述模型，以2005年至2008年國內上市櫃公司資料為樣本，使用Tobit模型檢視樣本公司高階經理人薪酬、董監事薪酬與現金股利支付率之關聯性。本研究實證結果符合上述模型之推論，亦即高階經理人總薪酬與公司之現金股利支付率呈顯著負相關。 　　本研究另將高階經理人薪酬區分為現金薪酬與股票薪酬，進行額外的分析，其結果顯示高階經理人之股票薪酬與公司現金股利支付率呈顯著負相關。換言之，台灣上市櫃公司（尤其高科技產業）常使用之股票薪酬合約，其性質具有長期激勵之效果。在公司既定的可用現金下，此種合約不但可激勵高品質的高階經理人選擇淨現值為正的投資方案，且可確保經理人不因短期投資方案而犧牲公司的長期利益。 / Bhattacharyya (2007) proposed a dividend payout model in which executive compensation is associated with the level of cash dividends. The model shows that for a given level of cash available for distribution, there is a negative　relationship between a company’s dividend payout ratio and its managerial compensation. This study applies the above model to a sample of the listed companies at the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) and the Gre Tai Securities Market (GTSM) from 2005 to 2008. The Tobit regression results are consistent with the Bhattacharyya (2007) model’s prediction, i.e., the dividend payout ratios of sample firms have negative associations with their managerial compensations. 　　In addition, this study classifies executive compensation into cash and stock payments for further analyses. The results show that dividend payout ratio is negatively correlated only with the stock portion of executive compensation. It means that for a given level of available cash for distribution, the nature of stock compensation has the long term effects which not only encourage a company’s executives to invest more in the projects with positive NPV without sacrificing the company’s benefits, bus also leave less cash for　distribution as dividends.

Dans un environnement économique toujours plus compétitif, tendu et incertain, les entreprises doivent faire preuve d’adaptabilité, de précaution et d’anticipation. Ce manuscrit aborde ainsi plusieurs thématiques liées à ce constat, qui touchent de près la notion de gestion de trésorerie. Le premier essai de cette thèse montre que la distribution d’un dividende en actions permet aux entreprises de temporairement réduire la rémunération de leurs actionnaires, sans être sanctionnées par ces derniers. Ce mécanisme permet aux entreprises de conserver liquidités et flexibilité en période de contraction de l’économie. Le second essai traite du lien entre risque client et politique de gestion des liquidités. Un risque client accru semble alors pousser les entreprises à détenir plus de trésorerie et à moins recourir aux lignes de crédit. Enfin, le troisième essai justifie de l’intérêt d’établir des relations clients-fournisseurs de long terme. Ces partenariats apparaissent alors comme une source d’efficience et de profitabilité accrues du cycle opérationnel des entreprises. / The increasingly competitive and uncertain economic environment requires firms to show caution and to anticipate their needs. Based on this observation, this thesis discusses several topics that are closely related to corporate cash management choices. The first chapter of this thesis show that offering an optional stock dividend enables firms to temporarily reduce cash outflows to shareholders without being penalized by the market. This peculiar type of payout then allows firms to maintain their levels of liquidity and flexibility during economic downturns. The second chapter focuses on the link between customer risk and corporate liquidity management choices. High customer risk then appears to firms holding higher cash reserves compared to credit lines. Finally, the third chapter highlights the benefits of maintaining long-term buyer-supplier relationships. These partnerships then arises as sources of increased operating efficiency and profitability for firms.

For many financial analysts the relationship between dividend policy and share price volatility remains inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the relationship between dividend policy and share price volatility for JSE-listed firms in South Africa differs from previous, similar research done on different markets. The research study answered the research question and determined what the relationship is between dividend policy and share price volatility for a representative sample of JSE-listed firms. In addition, it met the objective of finding and evaluating the relationship between dividend policy and share price volatility for a selection of JSElisted firms, under various economic conditions. The research study spanned a 12- year period with more than 1 065 observations noted. Quantitative, secondary data was collected and descriptive statistics were used during the analysis phase. Two standard multiple regression models were used to regress dividend policy and share price volatility, with the first regression model only providing a crude test between the variables. The second regression model accounted for factors that affect both variables and was included to provide a more accurate test estimation. The relationship between the dividend payout ratio and share price volatility and the relationship between dividend yield and share price volatility were evaluated and reported on, under various different economic conditions (pre, during and post the 2008 financial crisis). The study concluded that there is a negative correlation between a firm’s dividend policy and share price volatility. It further found that a firm’s dividend payout ratio, and not the dividend yield ratio, remains the single biggest contributor in explaining the variance in share price volatility throughout the different economic phases presented by pre, during and post the 2008 global financial crisis. / Finance, Risk Management and Banking / M. Com. (Financial Management)

Cette thèse, en portant une attention particulière sur les entreprises familiales turques et par l'utilisation d'une approche fondée sur la théorie de l'agence, a pour objectif de mettre en lumière les implications du capital familial sur la performance, la distribution de dividendes et les avoirs étrangers. Elle étudie premièrement en s'appuyant sur une méta-analyse, la relation entre l'impact net du capital familial sur la performance de l'entreprise et l'effet de modérateurs sur cette relation. Ensuite, elle examine si, en Turquie, le capital familial comble ou profite des lacunes institutionnelles et étudie comment les entreprises familiales diminuent les préoccupations relatives à l'expropriation des actionnaires minoritaires. Enfin, elle explore comment dans le cas turc, les investisseurs étrangers perçoivent le capital familial et les pratiques de gouvernance appliquées par les entreprises familiales pour éliminer les préoccupations de ces investisseurs concernant l'expropriation de leurs droits. Les principaux résultats de cette thèse démontrent que l'impact du capital familial sur la performance des entreprises est positif mais faible. Le niveau de développement des institutions formelles du pays dans lequel les entreprises familiales opèrent, modère la relation entre le capital familial et la performance des entreprises. En Turquie, un niveau modéré de détention du capital par la famille est bénéfique car la performance comptable atteint un pic à ce niveau de détention et les investisseurs valorisent un tel niveau de détention du capital par la famille. En outre, lorsque les familles détiennent un niveau substantiel de droits de vote et participent activement au management de l'entreprise, le versement de dividendes se réduit et la gouvernance familiale profite des lacunes institutionnelles pour exproprier les autres actionnaires de leurs droits. Enfin, en Turquie, le recours effectif par les entreprises familiales à des pratiques de gouvernance diminue les inquiétudes des investisseurs étrangers concernant l'opportunisme de la famille. / Using insights mainly from agency theory, this dissertation intends to shed light on performance, dividend payout and foreign holdings' implications of family involvement in firm with an emphasis on Turkish family firms. The dissertation first investigates the net effect of family involvement on firm performance and the effect of moderators on that relationship by conducting a meta-analysis. It then shifts the focus on Turkey to examine whether family governance fills or abuses institutional gaps and look into how family firms alleviate concerns of expropriation of minority shareholders. Finally, it investigates how foreign investors perceive family involvement in firm and firm-level governance practices of family firms to mitigate investors' expropriation concerns in Turkey. The main findings of this dissertation show that the impact of family participation on firm performance is positive but modest. The development level of formal institutions in countries in which family firms operate moderates the relationship between family involvement and firm performance. In Turkey, moderate levels of family involvement in ownership are beneficial since accounting profitability reaches a peak at these levels and foreign investors value these levels of family participation in firm. On the other hand, when families have substantial voting rights and actively participate in management, dividend payouts reduce and family governance abuses institutional voids by expropriating other shareholders. Additionally, the effective use of firm-level governance practices by family firms mitigates foreign investors' concerns about family opportunism in Turkey.

本論文探討兩稅合一制所增設的兩個機制，即稅額扣抵比率及加徵保留盈餘稅對上市公司股利發放、資本結構以及公司租稅規劃的影響。首先以數學模式推導出兩稅合一制下這兩個機制與股利發放率及負債權益比率之間的關係，再據以建立研究假說，而後進行兩步驟多變量程序之實證測試。研究所獲致的結果包括： 　　一、兩稅合一制實施後，上市公司稅額扣抵比率與總（盈餘）股利發放率呈正相關，且上市公司稅額扣抵比率愈高者，其總（盈餘）股利發放率、現金股利發放率及盈餘配股發放率皆較兩稅合一制實施前高。由於公積配股並不受兩稅合一制實施的影響，故本文也發現兩稅合一制實施前後公積配股率並無顯著差異。整體而言，兩稅合一制實施後，總（盈餘）股利發放率、盈餘配股發放率及公積配股率較實施前減少，而現金股利發放率較實施前增加。進一步的分析顯示現金股利發放率的增加係受到健全股利政策的推行影響，而盈餘配股發放率的減少可能是受到股票股利緩課取消的影響。 　　二、兩稅合一制實施後，符合促進產業升級條例第八條及第九條規定之投資方案，選擇股東投資抵減之公司並無顯著多於選擇五年免稅之公司，可能原因為選擇五年免稅有利於公司現金流量及每股盈餘的金額。此一結果雖與預期方向相反，但也顯示政府原先擔心公司會選擇股東投資抵減而造成鉅額稅收流失的疑慮並未獲得實證支持。但從兩稅合一實施後公司股權結構的變動分析顯示，公司法人持股比率較實施前增加，而僑外投資持股率較實施前減少，支持公司在不同股東身分稅負差距的考量下，會有股權結構移轉之租稅規劃，以降低股東所負擔的稅負。 　　三、兩稅合一制實施後，上市公司稅額扣抵比率愈高者，股東所享扣抵權愈多，則舉債租稅利益愈少，因而總負債權益比率將降低；而上市公司保留盈餘比率愈高者，所課徵的保留盈餘稅愈高，舉債利息的租稅利益反而增加，會造成總負債權益比率增加。本文的實證結果也顯示，兩稅合一制實施後，上市公司稅額扣抵比率愈高者，其總負債權益比率較實施前低；而上市公司保留盈餘比率愈高者，其總負債權益比率較實施前高。 　　綜合本論文實證結果顯示，兩稅合一制實施後，稅額扣抵比率的機制確實其有消除股利所得重複課稅的效益，進而提高公司股利發放的意願，並且有助於公司資本結構的改善。但是，政府對於未分配盈餘加徵 10％營利事業所得稅的規定卻不利於公司資本的累積，反而提高舉債的租稅誘因，也可能抵銷稅額扣抵比率降低舉債的效果，值得政府深入檢討對公司未分配盈餘課稅的不利影響。 / Enacted in 1998, the Integrated Income Tax System has two important features, i.e., the imputation tax credit to shareholders and the 10% surtax levied on undistributed earnings. Using two-step multivariate regression, this study exmines the impacts of these two features on corporations' dividend payout, tax planning, and capital structure. The findings of this study are as follows : 　　1. After implementation of the Integrated Income Tax System, the imputation tax credit ratio is positively related with total dividends payout ratios. Companies with higher imputation tax credit ratios tend to pay out more cash dividends and earnings stock dividends, ceteris paribus. However, there appears no significant relation between the imputation tax credit ratio and capital stock dividends. On average, after implementation of the Integrated Income Tax System, stock dividend payout ratios, including earning stock dividends and capital stock dividends, are decreased, but cash dividend payout ratios are increased. The increase in cash dividend payout may be affected by the balance dividend policy by the SEC, which require corporations to pay out greater proportions in cash dividends. The decrease in earning stock dividends may be due to the cancellation of the deferral of tax on stock dividends. 　　2. After implementation of the Integrated Income Tax System, inconsistent with the expectation, companies still prefer the five-year tax exemption to the investment tax credits. The results suggest that companies' choices are affected more by such factors as corporate cashflows and earnings per shares. However, after implementation of the Integrated Income Tax System, there is a significant change in stockholder structures, with the ratios of corporation stockholders being increased while the ratios of oversea stockholders being decreased. The opportunity of tax arbitrage will have a significant impact on corporations' stockholder structures. 　　3. After implementation of the Integrated Income Tax System, for companies with higher imputation tax credit ratios, their stockholders will have greater tax benefits, and, hence, the tax benefit for companies to use debt financing is decreased. Conversely, companies with higher ratios of retained earnings will bear more tax burdens on the 10% surtax levied on undistributed earnings; therefore, the tax benefit of debt financing is increased. The empirical results support that, ceteris paribus, companies with higher imputation tax credit ratios tend to have lower debt-to-equity ratios, while companies with higher ratios of retained earnings tend to have greater debt-to-equity ratios. 　　In summary, after implementation of the Integrated Income Tax System, the imputation tax credits reduce the double taxation on stockholders' dividend income and, hence, improve corporations' capital structure. However, the 10% surtax on undistributed earnings may result in opposite effect on corporations' capital structure. The findings of this study have important implications for the government to take into account the potential adverse impacts resulted from taxes levied on corporations' retained earnings.