Does cash dividend smoothing affect the wealth management products purchased by listed companies?

ABSTRACT Using the regulatory policy on cash dividends implemented in 2013 as the research context, this study develops a difference-in-difference (DID) model using the data of Chinese A-share non-financial listed companies from 2011–2019, and found that cash dividend smoothing reduces the wealth management products (WMPs) purchased by companies. Channel tests demonstrated that cash dividend smoothing reduces the company’s WMPs by increasing the financial leverage and attracting independent-type institutional investors to exert debt governance effect and institutional investor governance effect. Additional analysis found that cash dividend smoothing has a greater effect on WMPs when there are serious managerial agency problems within the firm, the nature of ownership is private, and in regions with dense branches of financial institutions. More importantly, cash dividend smoothing was found to alleviate the crowding-out effect of WMPs on industrial investment and help return the firms’ capital to industrial operations.