The Big Short (Interest): Closing the Loopholes in the Dividend-Withholding Tax

Abstract

We study the effect of stricter enforcement of the dividend-withholding tax (DWT). We focus on a 2016 Danish enforcement reform and compare Denmark to its Nordic neighbors. Throughout Nordic stock markets, shares on loan spike sharply around dividend dates. These spikes are consistent with so-called cum-cum and cum-ex trading. Post reform, spikes in Denmark disappear, and annual DWT revenue increases by 130 percent. Enforcement does not harm the investment climate, as measured by Danish stock returns, investment rate, and dividend yield.