Climate change and corporate cash holdings: Global evidence

Authors

Siamak Javadi, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Abdullah Al Masum, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Mohsen Aram
Ramesh P. Rao

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-26-2023

Abstract

Using data from 41 countries, we provide novel empirical evidence that firms’ cash holdings are positively associated with their climate change exposure. This evidence is robust to different model specifications and survives a battery of tests to ease concerns related to spurious correlation and omitted variable bias. Using the release of the Stern Review as an exogenous shock to climate change awareness, we show that this association becomes significantly stronger after the release of the Review and particularly so for firms with higher exposure to regulatory and transition risk dimensions of climate change as well as financially constrained firms. Overall, results fit consistently within the precautionary motive framework and suggest that firms hold more cash to safeguard against the adverse impact of climate change.

Comments

Original published version available at https://doi.org/10.1111/fima.12420

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/NDPJXEXJTZMIEJSAPMTI?target=10.1111/fima.12420

Recommended Citation

Javadi, S., Masum, A. A., Aram, M., & Rao, R. P. (2023). Climate change and corporate cash holdings: Global evidence. Financial Management, 52, 253– 295. https://doi.org/10.1111/fima.12420

Publication Title

Financial Management

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1111/fima.12420