The impact of taxation on firm performance and risk: Evidence from Greece

In this paper, I examine the relationship of taxation with performance and risk with the usage of a sample of 76 non-financial companies traded on the Athens Stock Exchange. The period covered by my study spans from 2018 to 2022, while correlation and panel data analysis is conducted. Both financial performance and stock return are considered, while risk concerns the volatility of the companies' share prices. The explanatory variables used concern figures reported both in the balance sheet and the profit and loss statement and include net deferred tax, deferred tax asset, deferred tax liability, total tax expense/revenue, income tax, and deferred tax expense/revenue. The empirical results reveal a positive relationship of financial performance with net deferred tax, total tax expense/revenue, income tax and deferred tax expense/revenue. Moreover, deferred tax asset is found to affect financial performance in a negative fashion, while deferred tax liability bears a positive influence on financial performance. The opposite relationships with deferred tax asset and deferred tax liability are detected in the case of stock return and risk. Finally, evidence of a negative relationship of total tax and income tax with stock risk is obtained.