Maximizing shareholder wealth is a sensible goal when the shareholders have access to
well-functioning financial markets. 7 Financial markets allow them to share risks and transport
savings across time. Financial markets give them the flexibility to manage their own savings
and investment plans, leaving the corporation’s financial managers with only one task: to
increase market value.
A corporation’s roster of shareholders usually includes both risk-averse and risk-tolerant
investors. You might expect the risk-averse to say, “Sure, maximize value, but don’t touch too
many high-risk projects.” Instead, they say, “Risky projects are OK, provided that expected
profits are more than enough to offset the risks. If this firm ends up too risky for my taste, I’ll
adjust my investment portfolio to make it safer.” For example, the risk-averse shareholders can
shift more of their portfolios to safer assets, such as U.S. government bonds. They can also
just say good-bye, selling shares of the risky firm and buying shares in a safer one. If the risky
investments increase market value, the departing shareholders are better off than if the risky
investments were turned down.