Determinants of Share Price Movements in Bangladesh : Dividends and Retained Earnings

Sammanfattning: Background and Problem Discussion: Financial scholars have been conducting studies of dividend policy for several decades; but different researchers have come to different conclusions. Financial economists have come to different conclusion about factors determining dividend policy and effect of dividend policies on common stock price. A general question may arise in the mind of the shareholders that the corporate dividend policy affects the value of their stocks. So, in addition to the theory of dividend policy, it is necessary to discuss the empirical evidence on the dividend payment practices of the corporations and their possible impacts on common stock prices. Empirical testing of dividend policy may focus on whether the determinants carry information in pricing the common stocks and whether the dividends are the only determinants serving as signals in conveying information about the current and future earnings of the corporation. Purpose: The present study will strives on the relative importance of dividends, retained earnings, and other determinants in the explanation of stock prices in Bangladesh with particular stock price of the companies associated with Dhaka Stock Exchange (henceforth DSE), an emerging capital market of Bangladesh. The prime objective of this study is to study determinants of market share price and to examine their functional relationships with the market price of common stocks trades in DSE. Method: Applied several pre-reviewed models to examine the dynamic relations between stock price and different financial variables. Data for selected companies listed in DSE for the period from 2000 to 2006 were collected from the annual reports of the respective companies, daily price quotation of DSE. Theory: Different related theories like, dividend theory, information contents, theory of information asymmetry, signalling theory, clientele effect theory were discussed to explain the basic concepts that is used to analyze the results. Different related models are also discussed to determine the appropriate model for my study. Analysis: I have used different models to explain the dynamic relationships of market price of common stocks with the determinants of market share price like dividends, retained earnings, lagged price earnings ratio and market price of previous year. Conclusion: The results of the empirical analysis evidences that dividends, retained earnings and other determinants have dynamic relationship with market share price. Findings also suggest that the overall impact of dividend on stock prices is comparatively better that that of retained earnings and expected dividends play an important role in the determination of stock prices whatever determinants, like lagged price earnings ratio or lagged price, are considered.