G32 - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; GoodwillReturn

To test the diversification benefits of REIT sub-groups formed based on dividend payout ratios, we forecast ex-ante variance-covariance matrices using a rolling window correlation and a DCC model. Regression-based mean-variance spanning tests, mean-variance efficient frontiers, and a minimum variance portfolio allocation approach using ex-ante optimization frameworks are considered. A major finding of the current study is the dividend payout ratios of REITs affect REIT market diversification benefits. Apart from extending stock market index investors’ investment universe and providing more efficient (higher profitability and/or lower risk) portfolios, REITs offer diversification benefits directly related to dividend policies. A unique level of diversification is attained by classifying REITs based on their dividend payout ratios. As well, these REIT sub-groups are capable of left-shifting the efficient frontier of a market portfolio with either of the REIT sub-groups.

Traditionally, market comparison requires identifying a peer group, which still poses unresolved practical difficulties today. This research seeks to provide valuable insights into the practicality, efficiency, and accuracy of machine learning in valuing a company. It employs a state-of-the-art machine learning technique, Gradient Boosting Decision Trees (GBDT), to predict the valuation multiple directly. A yearly dataset of U.S. public companies from 1980–2021 was used. The most common multiples (EV/EBITDA, EV/EBIT, P/E, and EV/Sales) were tested. The performance of GBDT was assessed against an industry-based method. GBDT consistently outperformed the alternative method with an average 24 percentage point decrease in the median average percentage error. The results support GBDT’s potential as a supplementary tool in valuation practice.

This paper investigates the dependence of the investment behavior of Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) on the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of their underlying investments in public equity holdings during the period of 2007 to 2022 collectively overseeing a substantial 71% of total public equity holding investments by SWFs globally. The unique data set with ESG control variables consist of mainly self-reported Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ESG information (ESG rating from Refinitiv/LSEG) and dynamic risk assessed ESG information purely based on external evaluation of the firms (Reputational Risk Indicator from RepRisk). The control variable which monitors the Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSI) of target companies is novel to previous studies. Our findings suggest that SWFs still consider self-reported CSR information more than public CSI data in their investment decisions. Furthermore, a change in past ESG data of underlying public equity holdings – both CSR and CSI – does not seem to have a significant effect on the investment into underlying public equity holdings. Our conclusions could help to encourage greater ESG integration into SWF investment strategies and promote sustainable investing practices more broadly not limited to liquid assets.

The paper focuses on valuation multipliers for privately held companies, with the aim of developing and applying a methodological procedure to improve the accuracy of estimating the market value. This improvement is achieved through the differentiation of an industry multiplier using financial decomposition. We applied the proposed methodology enhancements to a dataset comprising 50 Czech breweries, estimating their market value using the discounted cash flow method. Importantly, our proposed modification to the methodology is not limited to this sample of breweries; its nature makes it a generally applicable procedure. Our results demonstrate that the application of our proposed procedure significantly enhances the accuracy of market value estimation for privately held companies, yielding an increase of 40–50% compared to the use of the median value.

This paper examines the impact of working capital management on firm performance in nine developing economies in Asia. Specifically, the study focuses on two critical aspects: the management of trade credit and inventory. The empirical findings reveal that effective management of these components significantly enhances the performance of financially dependent firms. In fact, during critical periods such as the 2008 financial crisis, these management strategies helped to boost performance considerably. However, no comparable association was observed in other firms within the sample. These results suggest that appropriate handling of trade credit and inventory can yield a significant performance advantage.

Commercial real estate loans (CREL) are a modern essential business segment and of major relevance to the financial stability of an economy as they interconnect the financial markets and the real economy. Consequently, CREL are of specific interest to regulatory authorities. As far as the author knows, there exists no universal definition of CREL in the global financial industry and the regulatory environment. This has been subject to criticism due to resulting gaps and bias in data generated by regulatory filing. This study contributes to academia and applied sciences by providing the missing link. It develops a comprehensive categorization of CREL on a foundation of 34 sources predominately provided by regulatory authorities in the US and the EU. The categorization is based on a qualitative synthesis of main CREL characteristics of this particular heterogeneous asset class outlined in the detected sources. The objective of this work is to support the development of a common understanding of this investment segment among banks, institutional investors and regulatory authorities in order to allow an accurate and prompt filing.

Although venture capital is considered crucial for promoting economic development and innovation, not much has been done regarding the use of complex financing contracts in venture capital backed investments. In this study we investigate the use of convertible securities and control rights covenants for a sample of 15 Portuguese venture capital firms. We use a relatively new methodology in business and management sciences - fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis - that considers both quantitative and qualitative factors for obtaining a solution that best fits the empirical data. Our results show that the use of convertible securities is affected by the anticipated severity of double-sided moral hazard problems. On the other hand, only a weak support is provided to the agency predictions regarding the use of control right covenants. Interestingly, the results reveal that convertible securities, unlike control rights covenants, are the most apt instruments to reduce costly double-sided incentive problems of a venture capital relationship.

We focus on the determinants and potential benefits of relationship banking. Based on the existing literature and the unique role intangible assets play regarding firms' capital structure, we test two hypotheses using rich data on firm-bank relationships in Germany. We show that firstly, a high share of intangible assets does not worsen the access of firms to debt financing. And secondly, firms with a high share of intangible assets are statistically significantly more likely to choose an exclusive and persistent bank relation.

This paper proposes a straightforward and intuitive computational mechanism for the economic adjustment of default probabilities, allowing the extension of the original (usually one-year) probability of default estimates for more than one period ahead. The intensity of economic adjustment can be flexibly modified by setting the appropriate weighting parameter. The proposed mechanism is designed to be useful especially in the context of lifetime expected credit losses calculation within the IFRS 9 requirements.

The objective of the study was in two parts; first, to construct an overall risk index to ascertain risk level of banks listed on Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), second, to ascertain whether there is a significant relationship between risk management and bank performance. Secondary data of all listed banks on GSE over the period 2007-2014 was used and a panel regression data approach and a risk index were constructed for all listed banks. Findings show that, banks listed on Ghana Stock Exchange have declining risk indexes on average over the latter part of the study period indicating that the Ghanaian Banking Regulator may have to impose additional prudential and regulatory requirements to ensure banks remain solvent. We also find evidence that risk management is positively related to performance of GSE listed banks when the latter is measured from ROE perspective.

The aim of this study was to examine the factors that determine return on equity (ROE) in the Manufacturing industry in the Czech Republic over a 10-year period of 2005 to 2014. The study combined firm level variables (DuPont model) and macroeconomic variables (Multifactor Arbitrate Pricing Theory - APT) to regress data obtained from Amadeus (Bureau van Dijk) and the World Bank respectively. The results show that profit margin and net asset turnover have a positive and significant effect on ROE. However, financial leverage had a negative and significant impact on ROE. With regard to macroeconomic variables, none of them affected ROE positively. GDP growth and Interest rate impacted negatively on ROE whilst unemployment, inflation and exchange rate do not have any impact on ROE. These results suggest that the firms can improve their ROE by developing cost leadership strategies and increasing sales revenue.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have become increasingly important in nowadays society as providers of employment opportunities and key players for the well-being of local and regional communities. Access to external funding is one of the largest problem facing SMEs in European Union (EU). Entrepreneurs face difficulties implementing their development plans while creating new businesses, adopting innovation, etc. Scientists also argue that without external funding business cannot achieve good financial performance results. The European Commission (EC) is implementing a number of programs specifically designed to improve the financial environment for SMEs in Europe. Since the financial markets have failed to provide SMEs with the finance they need, the EC has developed and funded various financial instruments. According to the scientists, creating the appropriate conditions for the development of SMEs in each country would possibly reduce the unemployment rate, accelerate country's economic growth, help to overcome social problems, and create competitive environment. Given the current economic situation in the EU countries, the subject's relevance is obvious underlying the importance to assess whether a better access to external funding sources would provide benefits to the countries at micro and macro levels. The main empirical findings of this study confirm the results of early empirical studies that a better access to external funding is an important growth factor for SMEs as well as for the whole economy. The panel regression analysis results suggest that a better access to banks' funding has a positive and statistically significant effect on country's economic growth as well as on SMEs development, however, a better access to equity finance (venture capital, business angels' investment) has no statistically significant effect. While SMEs represent over 99% of businesses in the EU so it is crucial to support their growth and innovation as well as improve the financing environment for small businesses in Europe.