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Journal of Corporate Finance Vol. 23 2013

Do cash stockpiles fuel cash acquisitions?

Lee Pinkowitz1; Jason Sturgess2; Rohan Williamson1

1 Georgetown University · 2 DePaul University

Abstract

U.S. firms currently hold a $2trillion cash stockpile. We examine if cash stockpiles fuel cash acquisitions by studying the method of payment decision for cash-rich firms. Surprisingly, cash-rich firms are 23% less likely to make cash bids than stock bids, relative to firms that are not cash rich. We examine several potential explanations related to omitted variable bias and endogeneity and the result remains. More specifically, the results are robust to explanations related to agency, financial constraints, tax-related explanations, equity overvaluation, and capital structure. Our evidence implies that the link between cash stockpiles and cash acquisitions is not obvious.

DOI
10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2013.08.003
Volume
23
Pages
128-149
Language
en
Sources
openalex crossref bibtex:phds-export.bib

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