Decoding the Paradox of Dividend Policy: An Empirical Study on Indian Banking Sector

Abstract The dividend policy has often been treated as the most complicated and intriguing aspects in corporate finance. Profitability was always cited as the main source of confidence for dividend payments. Numerous articles written on the dividend policy explored several of its other determinants. The most popular Lintner’s Dividend Model has been assessed and applied by researchers in different sectors including the banking sector in India. The results from the banking sector also confirmed to a greater extent the accuracy of Lintner’s Dividend Model. Although Lintner’s Dividend Model had its firm footing in the Indian banking industry, the model has not much explored about liquidity constraints, ownership and managerial efficiency. The above-mentioned predictors are important in the present scenario where many public sector banks paid dividends while having high nonperforming assets. Recently the government has announced a dividend cut for 16 public sector banks due to high level of stressed assets. Hence, profitability and stressed assets are the paradoxical aspects in the dividend policy for the banking industry. Findings from this study have evidence of substantial influence of liquidity constraints, ownership and managerial efficiency and their influence on the dividend policy