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This study examines the role of voluntary adoption of corporate governance mechanisms in mitigating the financial distress status of firms. Using the sample of 52 firms from non-financial sector listed at Karachi Stock Exchange and selecting time period of 10 years from 2006 to 2015, the study finds out the practices that are beneficial for firms and helps them in reducing the financial distress. Results of the study show that there is a negative significant relationship of blockholder ownership, director ownership and audit committee with the probability to financial distress. The causal relationship is also tested, and results show that voluntary adoption of corporate governance structures leads towards lower level of financial distress.

In the field of corporate finance the question as to whether dividend policy affects the shareholders wealth still remains unresolved. The objective of this research paper is to establish the impact of dividend policy on shareholders’ wealth and firm performance in Pakistan. The conduct of dividend policy has been one of the most debatable issues in literature of corporate finance. Numerous researchers have attempted to reveal issues with respect to the dividend policy, however, we still don’t have a worthy explanation regarding the behavior of dividend policy. The variables used in this research are dividend policy, shareholders wealth, and firm performance. Dividend per share and dividend yield are used to measure dividend policy. For shareholders wealth, earning per share and share price are used as proxies. Return on equity is used to measure firm performance. From the regression result, it is found out that dividend policy has positively significant impact on shareholders’ wealth and firm performance. This study supported dividend relevance theory, signaling effect theory, bird in hand theory and clientele-effect theory. The study commends the implementation of stable, effective, managed and target-oriented dividend policy by firm’s financial managers along with effective supervisory framework governed by capital market regulatory bodies to uplift firms’ performance and shareholders wealth in Pakistan. Furthermore, appropriate firm disclosure with respect to dividend payout and dividend per share is needed to guard the potential investors in making the right investment choices in listed firms.