Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of the enactment of the anti-thin capitalization rules on capital structure after the enactment of the anti-thin capitalization rules in Taiwan. According to the theoretical derivation, companies with lower shareholder imputed tax credits ratio tend to have greater debt-to-equity ratio, while companies with higher surtax on undistributed earnings ratio tend to have higher debt-to-equity ratio. This finding is consistent with the hypotheses of this study. However, the relationships between interest-bearing liability rate, marginal income tax rate and debt-to-equity ratios are uncertain.

Using 2006–2012 sample data for the empirical study, this paper finds that enterprise’s total debt-to-equity ratios significantly decreases after the enactment of the anti-thin capitalization rules, and provisions preventing capital weakening have policy effectiveness. The shareholder imputed tax credits ratio and total debt-to-equity ratio are negatively correlated, while interest-bearing liability rate, marginal income tax rate, and surtax on undistributed earnings ratio, are positively correlated with total debt-to-equity ratio. This finding supports the hypotheses of this study. However, marginal income tax rate is lack of significance. Regardless of the enactment of the anti-thin capitalization rules, pledge ratios, investment growth opportunities, firm size and ownership of director and supervisor ratios are positively correlated with total debt-to-equity ratio; non-debt tax shields, R&D ratio and profitability are negatively correlated with total debt-to-equity ratio, which are also consistent with the expected results of this paper.

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