Tax Planning, Financial Constraints and Investment Management: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan

The aim of this study is to provide insight into tax avoidance through planning and management, and its investment consequences in financially constrained and unconstrained firms, as well as to empirically examine the interrelationships between the variables studied. Data was extracted from the financial statement analysis of non-financial companies listed on the Pakistan stock exchange (PSX) published by the State Bank of Pakistan, covering ten major manufacturing sectors. KZ index and WW index are used to identify financially constrained and unconstrained firms. Tax avoidance is measured by using GETR and LETR. All the equations are estimated through panel data regression models using common, fixed, and random effects. The empirical investigation of the role of tax avoidance in all firms collectively and constrained and unconstrained firms separately showed that the tax avoidance behavior of these firms is translated into investments by these firms. The study will help policymakers in strategy formulation and implementation related to tax planning and investment decisions in constrained and unconstrained firms to overcome their financial constraints and to optimize their investment decisions for value maximization. This will substantially increase the investment in the country by providing growth opportunities and lowering the tax rates.