The impact of capital market imperfections on investment-cash flow sensitivity

We examine the investment-cash flow sensitivity of US manufacturing firms in relation to five factors associated with capital market imperfections - fund flows, institutional ownership, analyst following, bond ratings, and an index of antitakeover amendments. We find a steady decline in the estimated sensitivity over time. Furthermore, we find that investment-cash flow sensitivity decreases with increasing fund flows, institutional ownership, analyst following, antitakeover amendments and with the existence of a bond rating. The overall evidence suggests that investment-cash flow sensitivity decreases with factors that reduce capital market imperfections.