Affiliation:
1. Post - Graduate Department of Business Management, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar
2. Post - Graduate Department of Business Management, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar
Abstract
Purpose: The research is about the effect of dividend policy on shareholders’ wealth for Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange listed non-financial firms in Tanzania from 2005 to 2019.
Design/methodology: The research employs secondary data information from firms’ financial reports as published on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange website, using descriptive statistics, panel dynamic least square method, and cointegration analysis to test the association between variables.
Findings: The results show that at 95 percent level of significance, dividend per share have significant positive effects on all proxies for shareholders’ wealth. However, dividend yield has insignificant negative effects on all proxies for shareholders’ wealth. The moderating variable indicates that investment opportunities have positive and significant effects on all the shareholders’ wealth proxies, which is one of the factors that strengthen the relationship between dividend policy and shareholders’ wealth.
Originality/value: This result, being the first study done in Tanzania, apart from helping stakeholders to avoid generalization of findings from developed economies to developing countries, will also help firms’ managers on how to implement shareholders’ wealth-maximizing strategies and capital accumulation for their internal growth. Furthermore, the results will enable potential investors and shareholders to decide whether to invest in certain firms or not, and whether to sell their shares and leave or retain them.