Does the audit quality have any moderating impact on the relationship between ownership structure and dividends? Evidence from Jordan

Abstract

The article aims at investigating whether audit quality impacts the relationship between ownership structure and dividends in companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE). The article is constructed on the analysis of time-series–cross-section (TSCS) (Panel Data). The study sample comprises 34 companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange between 2016 and 2021. The study sample’s content of the financial reports is analyzed to attain appropriate data for the study. The Findings indicate that family ownership and ownership of board members negatively impact dividends. In contrast, institutional ownership and concentrated ownership positively impact dividends, as no effect of foreign ownership is found on dividends. By introducing audit quality as a modified variable on the relationship between ownership structure and dividends, the findings demonstrate that audit quality positively enhances and strengthens this relationship. This article with its results is of great significance to future stockholders and shareholders, as they help in selecting companies capable of distributing higher dividends than other companies and achieving satisfactory investment returns. The findings of the study also focus on the significance of audit quality as a guarantor for regulating the relationship between forms of ownership structure and the distribution of dividends. This study is regarded among the little research investigating the factors that would impact the relationship between ownership structure and dividends. This article plays a key role in bridging the research gap related to the lack of studies dealing with the relationship between ownership structure and dividends in emerging markets.