Is the free cash flow hypothesis valid in Turkey?

Abstract

This study tests the validity of the free cash flow hypothesis in the context of firms traded on Borsa Istanbul. The study applies a panel regression to a data set composed of 1267 observations from 227 companies during the period 2008–2014. The results reveal a significant, negative correlation between dividends per share and free cash flow. Likewise, a significant, inverse relationship is found between leverage and free cash flow. Thus, the results support the free cash flow hypothesis.

Keywords

• Free cash flow hypothesis
• Agency cost
• Agency problem
• Dividend payout