Do Cash Holdings Differ in Europe and Asia Pacific?

Abstract

This paper identifies the determinants that contribute towards the variation in financial assets that make up a firm’s total cash reserves, specifically in two important regions of the world i.e. Asia Pacific and Europe. The findings of the research reveal that firms in the region of Asia Pacific have slightly higher cash holdings, as compared to firms in Europe. Moreover, the study also identifies that the elevated cash holdings in Asia Pacific are not a result of the agency problem, as is generally viewed, rather, the shareholder power hypothesis is a more appropriate measure to elucidate this elevation in the level of cash holdings in the region. When shedding light on to the firm specific cash holding determinants, the findings of the research reveal that leverage, dividend payment, profitability, growth and net working capital, cash flows and financial strength, influence cash reserves in both the regions, exactly in the same manner. This shows the application of transaction, and precautionary motives in both the regions. The study further identifies that size, and investments have a varying effect in both the regions that are taken into consideration. Again, this difference may be attributed to Shareholders’ Power Hypothesis, specifically for Asia Pacific and the Agency View, specifically for Europe. Shareholders’ Right Index influences cash reserves in Asia Pacific in a positive manner, while in Europe, the same index shows a negative influence. The development in the financial markets has a negative negatively influence on cash holdings in Asia Pacific, and a positive one in Europe.