Bringing Down the Other Berlin Wall: Germany's Repeal of the Corporate Capital Gains Tax

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A. Shackelford ◽  
Mark H. Lang ◽  
Edward L. Maydew
Keyword(s):  
Capital Gains ◽  
The Other ◽  
Capital Gains Tax ◽  
Berlin Wall ◽  
Corporate Capital

Germany's Repeal of the Corporate Capital Gains Tax: The Equity Market Response

2004 ◽  
Vol 26 (s-1) ◽  
pp. 73-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney H. Edwards ◽  
Mark H. Lang ◽  
Edward L. Maydew ◽  
Douglas A. Shackelford
Keyword(s):  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Capital Gains ◽  
Capital Gains Tax ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Price Response ◽  
Corporate Capital ◽  
Market Values ◽  
Lock In Effect ◽  
Lock In

In late 1999, the German government made a surprise announcement that it would repeal the large and long-standing capital gains tax on sales of corporate crossholdings effective in 2002. The repeal has been hailed as a revolutionary step toward breaking up the extensive web of crossholdings among German companies. The lock-in effect from the large corporate capital gains tax was said to act as a barrier to efficient acquisition and divestiture of German firms and divisions. Many observers predicted that once the lock-in effect was removed, Germany would experience a flurry of acquisition and divestiture activity. Several other industrialized countries were poised to follow suit, with similar proposals pending in France, Japan, and the United Kingdom. This paper provides evidence of the economic impact of the repeal by examining its effect on the market values of German firms. While event studies of tax legislation can be difficult, our study is aided by the fact that the repeal was both a surprise and was announced separately from other tax reform proposals. In addition, we provide cross-sectional evidence on the economic magnitude of the repeal, assess the likely beneficiaries from the repeal, and predict which sectors are most likely to experience a surge in acquisition and divestiture activity following the repeal. Our results suggest that the economic effects are highly concentrated. We find a positive association between firms' event period abnormal returns and the extent of their crossholdings, consistent with taxes acting as a barrier to efficient allocation of ownership. However, the reaction is limited to the six largest banks and insurers and their extensive minority holdings in industrial firms. These six large firms have a combined market capitalization equal to 22 percent of all 394 firms in this study. We also find evidence of a positive stock price response to the announcement for industrial companies held by these financial firms, consistent with shareholders in those firms benefiting from the likely reduction in investor-level tax burdens and expected increased efficiency following the tax law change.

Capital Investment Effects of Dividend Imputation

2000 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 40-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ervin L. Black ◽  
Joseph Legoria ◽  
Keith F. Sellers
Keyword(s):  
Capital Investment ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Equity Capital ◽  
Capital Gains ◽  
Capital Gains Tax ◽  
Cost Of Equity Capital ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Corporate Sector ◽  
Corporate Capital ◽  
The Cost

We examine the effects of dividend imputation on corporate capital investment in New Zealand and Australia. The empirical findings indicate that: (1) dividend imputation stimulated corporate capital investment in both countries; (2) the positive impact of dividend imputation on capital investment overshadowed any negative effects arising from the new capital gains tax imposed in Australia; and (3) the dividend imputation effects on capital investment are most pronounced for highdividend-paying firms. In summary, we demonstrate the positive impact of dividend imputation on corporate capital investment. Our findings support the conclusions of the U.S. Treasury that the “traditional” double tax on corporate distributions increases the cost of equity capital to the corporate sector and creates a bias against investment by the corporate sector.

scholarly journals Finance Act 1965: The Capital Gains Tax

1966 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-184
Author(s):  
Leonard Lazar
Keyword(s):  
Capital Gains ◽  
Capital Gains Tax

THE IMPACT OF THE CAPITAL GAINS TAX ON BOND YIELDS

1973 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 575-583
Author(s):  
JOHN S. McCALLUM
Keyword(s):  
Capital Gains ◽  
Capital Gains Tax ◽  
Bond Yields ◽  
The Impact
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