The effects of tax avoidance on corporate value

Abstract

Taxes considered a significant cost to the corporations and shareholders, and it generally expected that shareholders prefer tax avoidance. However, the purpose of this paper is to shed light on the effects tax avoidance on firm value. Based on a sample of 34 Palestinian listed firms from 2011 to 2018, the authors use OLS regression. The results shows that firms tend to take advantages from cash flow saved from aggressive tax practices. On Palestinian context, our results are interesting. Palestine is very unique environment , since investors rights are weakly shielded , furthermore , Palestine stock exchange market is not developed enough , this arguments leash firms to benefit from tax savings , while investors didn’t need to transfer profits to other lower tax countries , since tax rate in Palestine considered low comparing with other countries  negative relationship with tax avoidance. This study has spotlight on tax avoidance on unique environment in Palestine and thus extend literature that focused on developed countries. Simultaneously, considered as basis in Palestine and other Arab countries for future research in this area. Although the last implications of this study, it still has limitations, one is limited sample scope, as Palestine exchange market has few listed firms, as small country with precarious political situations. However, The study is the first that focused on the relationship between four forms of ownership structure and tax avoidance in unique environment as Palestine with very distinguished political and economic situations.

Keywords Tax avoidance,  Firm value,  Effective tax rate  , ROA

DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/11-4-13

Publication date: February 29^th 2020