Payout and firm’s catering

This paper is built upon the predictions of the catering theory of dividends and examines whether investor sentiments exert significant influence on corporate dividend policy. Accordingly, we propose a dividend model that incorporates a variable at the firm-level proxy for the catering effect. Estimation of the model using the GMM shows that firms in Eurozone countries cater to their investors’ sentiments, and the model provides evidence supporting the catering model. Additionally, we show an interaction effect between catering and firm characteristics, particularly liquid assets, investment opportunities, and levels of free cash flow.
This work is supported by: European Structural and Investment Funds in the FEDER component, through the Operational Competitiveness and Internationalization Programme (COMPETE 2020) [Project No. 006971 (UID/SOC/04011)]; and national funds, through the FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UID/SOC/04011/2013.
peer-reviewed