The literature on dividend policy has produced a large body of theoretical and empirical research, especially following the publication of the dividend irrelevance hypothesis of Miller and Modigliani (1961). No general consensus has yet emerged after several decades of investigation, and scholars can often disagree even about the same empirical evidence. This paper aims at providing the reader with a comprehensive understanding of dividends and dividend policy by reviewing the main theories and explanations of dividend policy including dividend irrelevance hypothesis of Miller and Modigliani, bird-in-the-hand, tax-preference, clientele effects, signalling, and agency costs hypotheses. The paper also attempts to present the main empirical studies on corporate dividend policy. However, due to the enduring nature and extensive range of the debate about dividend policy which has spawned a vast amount of literature that grows by the day, a full review of all debates is not feasible. The .
See Full PDF See Full PDFFor decades, the company's dividend policy has been the subject of intense researches. These researches tried to establish on one side a link between the dividend policy and other factors. From other sides, these studies also aimed to study the interaction between these factors. Such as, the existing link between the dividend policy and taxation. This article presents a literature review of recent and old researches concerning the dividend policy. It studies and analyses the contributions of the diverse currents of thought. Indeed, this paper provides a summary of the work of authors who contribute to the hypothesis of the clientele effect. Résumé Depuis des décennies, la politique de dividendes de l'entreprise a fait l'objet d'intenses recherches. Ces recherches tentent d'établir un lien entre la politique de dividendes et d'autres facteurs et la manière dont ces facteurs interagissent. Par exemple, le lien entre la politique de distribution de dividende et .
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The Empirical and theoretical research on dividend policy has produced an extensive volume of literature.The research are categorized into two different schools of thought, the first is that dividend policy of a firm has an impact on its value and the second is that dividend policy of the firm has no impact on firm value. Even after several years of research no consensus has emerged, and scholars do not even agree upon with the same empirical evidence. This study provides with a complete understanding of dividends and dividend policy by reviewing the theories and their explanations of dividend policy including both dividend relevance and irrelevance theory of Miller and Modigliani, tax-preference,bird-in-the-hand, clientele effects, signaling and agency costs hypotheses. This study also attempts to present the important empirical studies on corporate dividend policy. However, due to the continuing nature and extensive array of the debate about dividend policy which has hatched a vast amount of literature that grows by the day, a full-fledged review of all debates is not feasible.
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