Share:


Capital structure and taxation of companies operating within national and multinational corporate groups: evidence from the Visegrad Group of countries

    Marta Kluzek   Affiliation
    ; Katarzyna Schmidt-Jessa   Affiliation

Abstract

The aim of this study is to review the level of debt and the impact of taxation on the capital structure of companies operating within national and multinational corporate groups in the countries of the Visegrad Group. In the research, financial data was used from 2012–2018 regarding entities forming part of corporate groups, and panel regression models with fixed effects were applied. According to the results of the research, domestic corporations are generally more leveraged and have a lower effective tax rate than multinational corporations. At the same time, the effective tax rate was significant only in six models out of sixteen, and mostly in the case of multinational corporations. The direction of impact was inhomogeneous. Other determinants of the financing structure which most often appeared as significant, in the case of companies operating both within domestic and international capital groups, include sales profitability as well as the tangibility and the age of the company. An additional analysis made for Poland and Slovakia determined that a change in the law on thin capitalization influenced entities’ capital structure determinants, but had no significant impact on the companies’ level of debt.


First published online 25 February 2022

Keyword : corporate group, capital structure, leverage, domestic corporations, multinational corporations, tax avoidance

How to Cite
Kluzek, M., & Schmidt-Jessa, K. (2022). Capital structure and taxation of companies operating within national and multinational corporate groups: evidence from the Visegrad Group of countries. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 23(2), 451–481. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2022.15634
Published in Issue
Apr 4, 2022
Abstract Views
756
PDF Downloads
727
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Aggarwal, R., & Kyaw, N. A. (2008). Internal capital networks as a source of MNC competitive advantage: Evidence from foreign subsidiary capital structure decisions. Research in International Business and Finance, 22(3), 409–439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2008.02.003

Akhtar, S. (2005). The determinants of capital structure for Australian multinational and domestic corporations. Australian Journal of Management, 30(2), 321–341. https://doi.org/10.1177/031289620503000208

Arena, M. P., & Roper, A. H. (2010). The effect of taxes on multinational debt location. Journal of Corporate Finance, 16(5), 637–654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2010.07.006

Avarmaa, M., Hazak, A., & Männasoo, K. (2011). Capital structure formation in multinational and local companies in the Baltic States. Baltic Journal of Economics, 11(1), 125–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/1406099X.2011.10840494

Baker, M., & Wurgler, J. (2002). Market timing and capital structure. The Journal of Finance, 57(1), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-6261.00414

Bauer, P. (2004). Determinants of capital structure: Empirical evidence from the Czech Republic. Czech Journal of Economics and Finance (Finance a uver), 54(1–2), 2–21. http://journal.fsv.cuni.cz/storage/958_s_2-21.pdf

Bevan, A. A., & Danbolt, J. (2002). Capital structure and its determinants in the UK-a decompositional analysis. Applied Financial Economics, 12(3), 159–170. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603100110090073

Bokpin, G. A. (2009). Macroeconomic development and capital structure decisions of firms: Evidence from emerging market economies. Studies in Economics and Finance, 26(2), 129–142. https://doi.org/10.1108/10867370910963055

Bonacchi, M., Marra, A., & Zarowin, P. (2019). Organizational structure and earnings quality of private and public firms. Review of Accounting Studies, 24(3), 1066–1113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11142-019-09495-y

Buettner, T., Overesch, M., Schreiber, U., & Wamser, G. (2012). The impact of thin-capitalization rules on the capital structure of multinational firms. Journal of Public Economics, 96(11–12), 930–938. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2012.06.008

Castaldi, S., Gubbi, S. R., Kunst, V. E., & Beugelsdijk, S. (2019). Business group affiliation and foreign subsidiary performance. Global Strategy Journal, 9(4), 595–617. https://doi.org/10.1002/gsj.1357

Chacar, A., & Vissa, B. (2005). Are emerging economies less efficient? Performance persistence and the impact of business group affiliation. Strategic Management Journal, 26(10), 933–946. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.478

Chakraborty, I. (2015). The effect of business risk on capital structure of Indian Corporate Firms: Business groups vs. stand-alone firms. Global Economic Review, 44(2), 237–268. https://doi.org/10.1080/1226508X.2015.1013486

De Haas, R., & Peeters, M. (2006). The dynamic adjustment towards target capital structures of firms in transition economies. Economics of Transition, 14(1), 133–169. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0351.2006.00237.x

De Jong, A., Kabir, R., & Nguyen, T. T. (2008). Capital structure around the world: The roles of firm-and country-specific determinants. Journal of Banking & Finance, 32(9), 1954–1969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2007.12.034

De Mooij, R., & Liu, L. (2020). At a cost: The real effects of transfer pricing regulations. IMF Economic Review, 68, 268–306. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41308-019-00105-0

De Mooij, R., & Liu, L. (2021). At a cost: The real effects of thin capitalization rules (IMF Working Paper, WP/21/23). https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513568553.001

Desai, M. A., Foley, C. F., & Hines, Jr, J. R. (2004). A multinational perspective on capital structure choice and internal capital markets. The Journal of Finance, 59(6), 2451–2487. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.2004.00706.x

Dewaelheyns, N., & Van Hulle, C. (2012). Capital structure adjustments in private business group companies. Applied Financial Economics, 22(15), 1275–1288. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603107.2012.654912

Dine, J., & Koutsias, M. (2019). The three shades of tax avoidance of corporate groups: Company law, ethics and the multiplicity of jurisdictions involved. European Business Law Review, 30(1), 149–181. http://repository.essex.ac.uk/21654/

Eurostat. (n.d.). Database. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database

Frank, M. Z., Goyal, V. K. (2009). Capital structure decisions: which factors are reliably important? Financial Management, 38(1), 1–37. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-053X.2009.01026.x

Gaur, A., & Delios, A. (2015). International diversification of emerging market firms: The role of ownership structure and group affiliation. Management International Review, 55(2), 235–253. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11575-015-0240-0

Grabia, T. (2014). Sytuacja gospodarcza w krajach Grupy Wyszehradzkiej analiza porównawcza. Gosopdarka w Praktyce i Teorii, 2(35), 36–47. http://hdl.handle.net/11089/11531

Guillén, M. F. (2000). Business groups in emerging economies: A resource-based view. Academy of Management Journal, 43(3), 362–380. https://doi.org/10.5465/1556400

Hiemann, M., & Reichelstein, S. (2012). Transfer pricing in multinational corporations: An integrated management – and Tax perspective. In W. Schön & K. Konrad (Eds.), Fundamentals of international transfer pricing in law and economics (pp. 3–18). Springer. https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/researcharchive/articles/11572

Hsieh, T. J., Yeh, R. S., & Chen, Y. J. (2010). Business group characteristics and affiliated firm innovation: The case of Taiwan. Industrial Marketing Management, 39(4), 560–570. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2008.12.018

Huang, G., & Song, F. M. (2006). The determinants of capital structure: Evidence from China. China Economic Review, 17(1), 14–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2005.02.007

Janský, P. (2019). Effective tax rates of multinational enterprises in the EU (A report commissioned by the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament). https://www.wts.com/wts.de/publications/wts-tax-weekly/anhange/2019/2019_3_1_studie.pdf

Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976). Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs, and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics, 3(4), 305–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X

Khanna, T., & Palepu, K. (2000). Is group affiliation profitable in emerging markets? An analysis of diversified Indian business groups. The Journal of Finance, 55(2), 867–891. https://doi.org/10.1111/0022-1082.00229

Khanna, T., & Rivkin, J. W. (2001). Estimating the performance effects of business groups in emerging markets. Strategic Management Journal, 22(1), 45–74. 3.0.CO;2-F> https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0266(200101)22:1<45::AID-SMJ147>3.0.CO;2-F

Kraus, A., & Litzenberger, R. H. (1973). A state-preference model of optimal financial leverage. The Journal of Finance, 28(4), 911–922. https://doi.org/10.2307/2978343

Lee, K. C., & Kwok, C. C. (1988). Multinational corporations vs. domestic corporations: International environmental factors and determinants of capital structure. Journal of International Business Studies, 19(2), 195–217. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490381

Lemmon, M. L., Roberts, M. R., & Zender, J. F. (2008). Back to the beginning: persistence and the cross‐section of corporate capital structure. The Journal of Finance, 63(4), 1575–1608. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.2008.01369.x

Mazur, K. (2007). The determinants of capital structure choice: Evidence from Polish companies. International Advances in Economic Research, 13(4), 495–514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11294-007-9114-y

Michel, A., & Shaked, I. (1986). Multinational corporations vs. domestic corporations: Financial performance and characteristics. Journal of International Business Studies, 17(3), 89–100. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490435

Modigliani, F., & Miller, M. (1958). The cost of capital. Corporate finance and the theory of investment. American Economic Review, 48(3), 261–297. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1809766

Modigliani, F., & Miller, M. H. (1963). Corporate income taxes and the cost of capital: A correction. The American Economic Review, 53(3), 433–443. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1809167

Myers, S. C., & Majluf, N. S. (1984). Corporate financing and investment decisions when firms have information that investors do not have. Journal of Financial Economics, 13(2), 187–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-405X(84)90023-0

Nivorozhkin, E. (2002). Capital structures in emerging stock markets: The case of Hungary. The Developing Economies, 40(2), 166–187. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1049.2002.tb01006.x

Noulas, A., & Genimakis, G. (2011). The determinants of capital structure choice: Evidence from Greek listed companies. Applied Financial Economics, 21(6), 379–387. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603107.2010.532108

Pattnaik, C., Lu, Q., & Gaur, A. S. (2018). Group affiliation and entry barriers: The dark side of business groups in emerging markets. Journal of Business Ethics, 153(4), 1051–1066. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-3914-2

Pinková, P. (2012). Determinants of capital structure: Evidence from the Czech automotive industry. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 60(7), 217–224. https://doi.org/10.11118/actaun201260070217

Poczter, S. (2018). Business groups in emerging markets: A survey and analysis. Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, 54(5), 1150–1182. https://doi.org/10.1080/1540496X.2017.1286587

Rajan, R. G., & Zingales, L. (1995). What do we know about capital structure? Some evidence from international data. The Journal of Finance, 50(5), 1421–1460. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.1995.tb05184.x

Saona, P., San Martín, P., & Jara, M. (2018). Group affiliation and ownership concentration as determinants of capital structure decisions: Contextualizing the facts for an emerging economy. Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, 54(14), 3312–3329. https://doi.org/10.1080/1540496X.2017.1392850

Schmidt, K., & Gajtkowski, M. (2020). Imperfect competition and business groups in selected countries. In D. Zarzecki (Ed.), Zarządzanie finansami: analiza finansowa, bankowość, finanse samorządowe (pp. 284–295). Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego. https://www.ksiegarnia-ekonomiczna.com.pl/modules.php?name=Sklep&plik=lista&nazwa=opis&nr_katal=9788379723515&hthost=1&store_id=2

Sheikh, A. N., & Wang, Z. (2011). Determinants of capital structure: An empirical study of firms in manufacturing industry of Pakistan. Managerial Finance, 37(2), 117–133. https://doi.org/10.1108/03074351111103668

Singh, D., Pattnaik, C., Gaur, A. S., & Ketencioglu, E. (2018). Corporate expansion during pro-market reforms in emerging markets: The contingent value of group affiliation and diversification. Journal of Business Research, 82, 220–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2017.09.043

Singh, M., & Nejadmalayeri, A. (2004). Internationalization, capital structure, and cost of capital: Evidence from French corporations. Journal of Multinational Financial Management, 14(2), 153–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mulfin.2003.07.003

Su, W., & Tan, D. (2018). Business groups and tax havens. Journal of Business Ethics, 153(4), 1067–1081. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-3910-6

The Visegrad Group. (2019). About the Visegrad Group. http://www.visegradgroup.eu/v4-110412-1

Titman, S., & Wessels, R. (1988). The determinants of capital structure choice. The Journal of Finance, 43(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.1988.tb02585.x

UNCTAD. (n.d.). Statistics. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from https://unctad.org/en/Pages/statistics.aspx

Wald, J. K. (1999). How firm characteristics affect capital structure: an international comparison. Journal of Financial Research, 22(2), 161–187. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6803.1999.tb00721.x

Wandel, J. (2011). Business groups and competition in post-Soviet transition economies: The case of Russian “agroholdings”. The Review of Austrian Economics, 24(4), 403–450. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11138-011-0152-6

Winiecki, J. (2012). Transformacja postkomunistyczna. Studium przypadku zmian instytucjonalnych [Post-communist transformation. A case study of institutional changes]. Wydawnictwo C.H.Beck. https://www.ksiegarnia.beck.pl/7833-transformacja-postkomunistyczna-studium-przypadku-zmian-instytucjonalnych-jan-winiecki

Zakrzewska-Bielawska, A. (2018). Modele badawcze w naukach o zarządzaniu. Organizacja i Kierowanie, 2, 11–25. http://bazekon.icm.edu.pl/bazekon/element/bwmeta1.element.ekon-element-000171526953