The number of dividend paying firms has been on the decline since the popularity of stock repurchases in the 1980s, and the recent financial crisis has brought about a wave of dividend reductions and omissions. This dissertation examined the U.S. firms and American Depository Receipts that are listed on the U.S. equity exchanges according to their dividend paying history in the previous twelve quarters. While accounting for the state of the economy, the firm’s size, profitability, earned equity, and growth opportunities, it determines whether or not the firm will pay a dividend in the next quarter. It also examined the likelihood of a dividend change. Further, returns of firms were examined according to their dividend paying history and the state of the economy using the Fama-French three-factor model. Using forward, backward, and step-wise selection logistic regressions, the results show that firms with a history of regular and uninterrupted dividend payments are likely to continue to pay dividends, while firms that do not have a history of regular dividend payments are not likely to begin to pay dividends or continue to do so. The results of a set of generalized polytomous logistic regressions imply that dividend paying firms are more likely to reduce dividend payments during economic expansions, as opposed to recessions. Also the analysis of returns using the Fama-French three factor model reveals that dividend paying firms are earning significant abnormal positive returns. As a special case, a similar analysis of dividend payment and dividend change was applied to American Depository Receipts that trade on the NYSE, NASDAQ, and AMEX exchanges and are issued by the Bank of New York Mellon. Returns of American Depository Receipts were examined using the Fama-French two-factor model for international firms. The results of the generalized polytomous logistic regression analyses indicate that dividend paying status and economic conditions are also important for dividend level change of American Depository Receipts, and Fama-French two-factor regressions alone do not adequately explain returns for these securities.

by Cheuk Kam-wa. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-45). / ABSTRACT --- p.iii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.vii / INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / WHAT IS ADR? --- p.5 / The Trading Mechanism --- p.6 / Issuance --- p.6 / Transfer - intra-market trading --- p.7 / Cancellation --- p.7 / Trading - pricing --- p.8 / Equity offerings --- p.8 / OVERVIEW OF US SECURITIES REGULATIONS --- p.10 / The Securities Act of 1933 --- p.10 / The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 --- p.11 / TYPES OF ADR --- p.13 / Unsponsored ADR --- p.13 / Sponsored ADR --- p.14 / Level-I --- p.14 / Level- II --- p.15 / Level- III --- p.16 / Rule 144A --- p.16 / ADVANTAGES AND BARRIERS OF ADR ISSUANCE TO HONG KONG LISTED COMPANIES --- p.19 / Advantages --- p.19 / Barriers --- p.20 / Deferred taxation --- p.21 / Proposed final dividend --- p.21 / Retirement scheme costs --- p.21 / Property revaluation --- p.22 / OVERVIEW OF THE ADR MARKETS --- p.25 / Comparison Between The Regional Stock Markets In The US --- p.26 / Outlook --- p.28 / THE IMPACT OF ADR LISTINGS ON RISK AND RETURN FOR HONG KONG LISTED COMPANIES --- p.32 / Methodology --- p.32 / The effect of the listing of ADRs on underlying stock price --- p.34 / Interpretation of results on the effect on underlying stock price --- p.36 / The effect of the listing of ADRs on underlying stock volatility --- p.37 / Interpretation of results on the effect on underlying stock volatility --- p.38 / Conclusions --- p.40 / APPENDIX 1 : LIST OF HONG KONG LISTED COMPANIES WITH ADR PROGRAMMES --- p.41 / REFERENCES --- p.43

Registrar of investment instruments in the European and comparative perspective Abstract The submitted thesis deals with the regulation of a registrar of investment instruments in the context of the relevant Czech and European Union laws. The aim of this dissertation is to provide a theoretical insight into the issues of regulation of investment instruments within the statutory and case law, taking into account current issues that are relevant from the practical point of view. This thesis also adequately addresses the prospects of a legislative development of activities on the European Union level and it reflects some practical trends in the financial markets sector. The first two chapters deal with general and theoretical issues that are closely related to the main topic of the thesis. They specifically focus on a definition of investment instruments and its registrar in the current jurisprudence and economic science, and also include a detailed explanation of the significance of these two subjects. The second chapter also adequately addresses the legal aspects of investment instruments, immobilized securities and book-entry securities in line with the relevant Czech laws. The third chapter provides a detailed legal analysis of relevant laws and regulations of the registrar of investment instruments....

Non-arbitrage asset pricing has been an avenue of unending interest to financial academics and practitioners alike. With increased capital outflow being permitted by developing economies, investors now have easy access to securities issued by foreign firms. The issue investigated in this research is concerned with the persistent presence of arbitrage opportunities between depository receipts and domestic stocks of Indian firms during the recent financial crisis. Instead of being priced in parity with one another during the crisis, ADRs of Indian firms were overpriced by as much as 70% for months on end. This thesis investigates the reasons giving rise to this premium by analyzing causes like benefits from diversification and liquidity.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-198). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-198). Also available on the Internet.

The study investigated preservation of, and access to, legal deposit materials at the Msunduzi Municipal Library. Constant access to legal deposit materials will depend on proper preservation methods from the time they are first produced. The focus was to identify how the different materials are preserved and stored, especially because every institution has unique needs, especially with regard to the climatic conditions of the area. The study also examined challenges faced by the depository, skills and knowledge of the depository staff about preventative preservation methods, resources for conservation and collection management strategies. The methods to help make materials accessible were established by examining the means and processes used. Methodological triangulation was used to look at the study in different ways and this included a questionnaire, interviews, observation and collection of graphic data. The units of analysis were the staff of the legal deposit department and the whole population was surveyed. In this study, quantitative and qualitative techniques were employed. The results of the self-administered question and observation schedule were analysed using SPSS. Data collected using the interview schedule was analysed qualitatively. The results of the study show that there are inadequate preservation activities and strategies for legal deposit materials at the Msunduzi Municipal Library. The legal deposit collection was at risk of being lost and inaccessible to present and future generations. This was mostly due to lack of preservation activities and strategies as a result of lack of knowledge in preservation, adequate funding, staff training, preservation policies, environmental control of stack rooms and the proper handling and storage of materials. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Submitted by Maykon Nascimento (maykon.albani@hotmail.com) on 2014-10-09T18:55:29Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertacao.Texto.Herbert Simoes.pdf: 1925290 bytes, checksum: e5892b51fa31052365110689fe1a902c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Elizabete Silva (elizabete.silva@ufes.br) on 2014-11-18T18:38:41Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertacao.Texto.Herbert Simoes.pdf: 1925290 bytes, checksum: e5892b51fa31052365110689fe1a902c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-18T18:38:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertacao.Texto.Herbert Simoes.pdf: 1925290 bytes, checksum: e5892b51fa31052365110689fe1a902c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho, estudar os efeitos da convergência às normas internacionais de contabilidade (IFRS), da cobertura de analistas financeiros e da emissão de American Depositary Receipts - ADR, sobre o disclosure voluntário das empresas listadas na BM&FBOVESPA. Partindo-se da análise de 14 trabalhos acadêmicos, desenvolveu-se um índice de disclosure voluntário contendo um total de 38 itens, sendo 25 itens de natureza financeira, econômica e organizacional e 13 itens de natureza social e ambiental. O check list do índice desenvolvido foi aplicado sobre 1.406 documentos (notas explicativas e relatórios da administração, contendo 58,2 mil páginas), de uma amostra com 703 observações - ano, obtidas durante os anos de 2006 a 2013. Utilizando-se do teste de Wilcoxon, os resultados apontam incrementos estatisticamente significantes nos níveis de disclosure voluntário durante o período de convergência ao padrão IFRS no Brasil, sendo mais significativos elementos de natureza econômica, financeira e organizacional do que os de natureza social e ambiental. Utilizando-se de modelos OLS robustos, aplicados sobre dados em painel desbalanceado, os resultados dos testes econométricos confirmaram parcialmente a hipótese de que o padrão IFRS contribuiu no desenvolvimento do disclosure voluntário das empresas com maior acompanhamento de analistas financeiros, porém, significativamente para as empresas que emitiram American Depositary Receipts (ADR) durante o período de convergência às normas internacionais de contabilidade. Os resultados são robustos e significativos quando controlados por variáveis representativas do tamanho (TAM), da rentabilidade (RENT), do endividamento (ALAV) e de auditoria de uma big – four (AUDI) como determinantes do disclosure voluntário durante o período de convergência ao padrão IFRS no Brasil. / We aim in this paper to study the effects of the International Account Standards, the cover of financial analysts and the emission of American Depositary Receipts (ADR), on the voluntary disclosure of BM&FBOVESPA companies, during the period of convergence to IFRS standards. From the analyses of 14 papers, we developed a check list with 38 items of voluntary disclosure, being 25 financial, economic and organizational items and 13 environmental and social items. The developed check list was applied to 1,406 documents (foot notes and director’s reports, with 58.2 thousand pages) of a sample of 703 firm–year observations, between 2006 and 2013. By using Wilcoxon test, the results show significant augmentation in the voluntary disclosure levels during the period of IFRS adoption in Brazil, being economic, financial and organizational elements more significant than social and environmental elements. By using robust OLS models for unbalanced panel data, the results for the econometric tests partially confirmed the hypothesis that IFRS has contributed for the development of voluntary disclosure of firms with higher financial analysts’ coverage. Besides, we found significant evidence that firms which emitted ADRs has enhanced their levels of voluntary disclosure during the convergence period to IFRS. The results are robust and significant when controlled by size (TAM), profitability (RENT), leverage (ALAV) and being audited by a Big Four company (AUDI) as determinants of voluntary disclosure over the period of convergence to IFRS.

Ventilation systems for depositories have certain specifics. Their main objective is to provide safe environment for preserving unique cultural or other valuable objects that are being stored for extensive time periods. The economical aspect of the operation should be taken into ac-count and the ventilation system adjusted accordingly. This project also incorporates ventila-tion of secondary areas. Ventilation system is subsequently assessed in terms of indoor air quality (CFD simulation) and energetic requirements (program TRNSYS). Air quality in depositories is evaluated using age of air parameter. The qualitative and quanti-tative outcomes are obtained. Possible measures are then suggested to improve the air quality. The objective of energy simulation is to evaluate overall energy required for a year of opera-tion of main air handling units. In addition, estimation of energy requirements for heating and cooling are made for the whole building. The results are compared and more simulations are carried out in order to lower overall energy consumption.

No description available.