Document Type : Original Research

Authors

1 Department of Accounting, Management and Accounting Faculty, Islamic Azad University Tonekabon Branch, Tonekabon, Iran

2 Department of Finance, Management and Accounting Faculty, Islamic Azad University Karaj Branch, Alborz, Iran

Abstract

Cash is one of the most important and critical resources in each profit entity, and exploring its relevance to stock returns and the extent to which it is influenced by the firm-level uncertainty is one of the most important issues in corporate decisions. The present study investigated the relationship between cash holdings, financial leverage, and excess stock returns considering the role of uncertainty level. This study uses all publicly firms on Iranian stock exchange. Data base on records of financial statements and market data of all Iranian firms that are listed on Iran Stock Exchange, and that are subject to the regulations by the Capital Market Authority in Iran. In addition, we use data from Iranian stock exchange for the period 2004–2018 to construct variables based on the information contained in financial statements. The results indicated that financial leverage and changes in cash holdings affect excess stock returns, and cash holdings are affected by the firm-level uncertainty. This paper fulfils an identified the role of Firm-level uncertainty in cash management, capital structure, and investment decisions.

Keywords

Main Subjects

COPYRIGHTS

©2022 The author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, as long as the original authors and source are cited. No permission is required from the authors or the publishers.

Acheampong, P., Agalega, E., & Shibu, A. K. (2014). The effect of financial leverage and market size on stock returns on the Ghana Stock Exchange: evidence from selected stocks in the manufacturing sector. International Journal of Financial Research, 5(1), 125-134.
Bao, D., Chan, K. C., & Zhang, W. (2012). Asymmetric cash flow sensitivity of cash holdings. Journal of Corporate Finance, 18(4), 690-700.
Bernanke, B. S., (1983). Nonmonetary effects of the financial crisis in the propagation of the great depression. American Economic Review, 73(3), 257-276.
Bloom, N., Bond, S., Van Reenen, J. (2007). Uncertainty and investment dynamics. The Review of Economic Studies, 74 (2), 391–415.
Chae, J., & Lee, E. J. (2018). Distribution uncertainty and expected stock returns. Finance Research Letters, 25(C), 55-61.
Denis, D. J., Sibilkov, V. (2010). Financial constraints, investment, and the value of cash holdings. Review of Financial Studies, 23 (1), 247–269.
Dittmar, A., Mahrt-Smith, J. (2007). Corporate governance and the value of cash holdings. Journal of Financial Economics, 83 (3), 599–634.
Drobetz, W., Grüninger, M. C., Hirschvogl, S. (2010). Information asymmetry and the value of cash. Journal of Banking & Finance, 34 (9), 2168–2184.
Faulkender, M., Wang, R. (2006). Corporate financial policy and the value of cash. Journal of Finance, 61 (4), 1957–1990.
Foley, C. F., Hartzel, J. C., Titman, S., Twite, C.(2007). Why do firms hold so much cash? A tax-based explanation. Journal of Financial Economics, 86(3), 579–607.
Gao, R., Grinstein, Y.(2014). Firms’ cash holdings, precautionary motives, and systematic uncertainty, Cornell University.
Han, S., Qiu, J. (2007). Corporate precautionary cash holdings. Journal of Corporate Finance, 13 (1), 43–57.
Harford, J., Kecskés, A., & Mansi, S. (2013). Investor horizons and corporate cash holdings. The Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, 48(6),1755-1780.
Im, H. J., Park, H., & Zhao, G. (2017). Uncertainty and the value of cash holdings. Economics Letters, 155(C), 43-48.
Leahy, J., White, T. (1996). The effect of uncertainty on investment: Some stylized facts. Journal of Money. Credit and Banking. 28 (1), 64–83.
Loncan, T. R., & Caldeira, J. F. (2014). Capital structure, cash holdings, and firm value: a study of Brazilian listed firms. Revista Contabilidade & Finanças, 25(64), 46-59.
Ozdagli, A. K. (2012). Financial leverage, corporate investment, and stock returns. The Review of Financial Studies, 25(4), 1033-1069.
Ozkan, A., & Ozkan, N. (2004). Corporate cash holdings: An empirical investigation of UK firms. Journal of Banking & Finance, 28(9), 2103-2134.
Pinkowitz, L., Stultz, R., Williamson, R. (2012). Multinationals and the high cash holdings puzzle, NBER Working Papers 18120, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.