Corporate Governance and Dividend payout Policy: Mediating Role of Leverage. Evidence from Emerging Economy

This study seeks to explore the relationship between corporate governance and dividend payout policy Mediating role of leverage between corporate governance and dividend payout in PSE 100 index nonfinancial firms is also explored. Relationship between corporate governance with dividend payout and leverage as determinant of dividend is already established but mediating role of leverage is checked for the first time. CEO duality, audit committee, number of meetings, independent directors and board size are taken indicators of corporate governance. The empirical results show that leverage plays mediating role between corporate governance and dividend payout policy when CEO is not holding the office of Chairman BOD and audit committee exists. Board size is significantly and positively related with leverage and the leverage is significantly and negatively related with dividend payout ratio. Result reveal that if a company has audit committee and CEO is separate from chairman board of directors and want to increase the dividend payout then the company will have to decrease its leverage. Empirical results show that board size is significantly and positively related to leverage and leverage is significantly and negatively related to dividend payout. So the company will have to keep its board size minimum to minimize the leverage and maximize dividend payout if it is willing to pay higher dividends. On the other hand, it is found that the investors who opt to purchase shares with the intent to receive higher dividend they will have to select a company with minimum board size. It is revealed from the empirical results that smaller board size keeps the leverage minimum and consequently dividend will be maximum.