Small business groups enhance performance and promote stability, not expropriation. Evidence from French SMEs

This paper investigates the influence that a firm’s distance from control has on its performance, using balance sheet information and a unique data set on small business ownership. This study fills a gap in the empirical governance literature by investigating whether there is expropriation of minority shareholders in small business groups. Contrary to observations for large business groups, results show a positive relationship between the separation of control from ownership and firm performance. Results also underline that tunneling promotes controlling shareholders’ profit stability rather than profit maximization in small business groups.