When Will Controlling Shareholder Expropriate Investors? Cash Flows Right and Investment Opportunity Perspective

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the relationship among cash flow rights, investment opportunities and firm values. We find that the opportunities to invest positive NPV projects will eliminate the positive effect of cash flow rights on firm values. However, when cash flow rights are relatively low, investment opportunities will not affect the positive relationship between cash flow rights and firm values. On the other hand, when cash flow rights are relatively high, cash flow rights do not influence firm values given the investment opportunities. As a result, the impact of investment opportunities on the cash flow right effect depends on the level of cash flow rights. These results suggest a non-linear relationship between cash flow right of the controlling shareholder and firm valuation.