FINANCIAL LEVERAGE, WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT AND FIRM PROFITABILITY: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM PAKISTAN STOCK EXCHANGE

Authors

  • Asad Khan Department of Management Sciences, University of Haripur, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Sohail Government College of Management Sciences Haripur, Pakistan
  • Zia ur Rehman Department of Management Sciences, University of Haripur, Pakistan

Keywords:

Working Capital, Cash Conversion Cycle, Receivable Collection Period, Inventory Turnover Period, Payable Payment Period, Leverage

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the working capital management practices and its effects on firms’ profitability with moderating role of leverage. The Generalized Method of Moments estimation technique under fixed effect specification is used to analyze the cross-industries sample of 210 nonfinancial firms listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange. The result showed that receivable collection period and payable payment period have positive significant impact on profitability of firms, on the other hand cash cycle has significant negative impact on profitability of firms, and where as the impact of payable payment period is found insignificant on profitability. In case of moderation of leverage with respect to relationship of working capital with profitability the results showed that leverage weakens this relationship significantly. The study suggests that managers in nonfinancial sector should take into consideration the moderating role of leverage with respect to working capital management.

References

Akoto, R. K., Awunyo-Vitor, D., & Angmor, P. L. (2013). Working capital management and profitability: Evidence from Ghanaian listed manufacturing firms. Journal of Economics and International Finance, 5(9), 373.

Aktas, N., Croci, E., & Petmezas, D. (2015). Is working capital management value-enhancing? Evidence from firm performance and investments. Journal of Corporate Finance, 30, 98-113.

Alam, A. (2015, March 15). Financial analysis: Govt securities over 86% of total investments, The Express Tribune, p.1.

Baltagi, B. (2008). Econometric Analysis of Panel Data. Wiley, John & Sons.

Baños-Caballero, S., García-Teruel, P. J., & Martínez-Solano, P. (2014). Working capital management, corporate performance, and financial constraints. Journal of Business Research, 67(3), 332-338.

Blinder, A. S., & Maccini, L. J. (1991). The resurgence of inventory research: what have we learned?. Journal of Economic Surveys, 5(4), 291-328.

Brennan, M. J., MAKSIMOVICs, V. O. J. I. S. L. A. V., & Zechner, J. (1988). Vendor financing. The Journal of Finance, 43(5), 1127-1141.

Brigham, E. F., & Ehrhardt, M. C. (2013). Financial management: Theory & practice. Cengage Learning.

Claessens, S., & Tzioumis, K. (2006). Measuring firms’ access to finance. World Bank.

Corsten, D., & Gruen, T. W. (2004). Stock-outs cause walkouts. Harvard Business Review, 82(5), 26-28.

De Almeida, J. R., & Eid, W. (2014). Access to finance, working capital management and company value: Evidences from Brazilian companies listed on BM&FBOVESPA. Journal of Business Research, 67(5), 924-934.

Deloof, M. (2003). Does working capital management affect profitability of Belgian firms? Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, 30, 573–587.

Einarsson, T., & Marquis, M. H. (2001). Bank intermediation over the business cycle. Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, 876-899.

Ek, R., & Guerin, S. (2011). Is there a right level of working capital?. Journal of Corporate Treasury Management, 4(2).

Enqvist, J, Graham, M and Nikkinen, J (2014) The impact of working capital management on firm profitability in different business cycles: Evidence from Finland, Research in International Business and Finance 32 (2014) 36–49.

Fazzari, S. M., & Petersen, B. (1993). Working capital and fixed investment: New evidence on financing constraints. The Rand Journal of Economics, 24, 328–342.

García-Teruel, P. J.,Martínez-Solano, P. (2007). Effects of working capital management on SME profitability. International Journal of Managerial Finance, 3, 164–177.

Gardner, M. J., Mills, D. L., & Pope, R. A. (1986). Working capital policy and operating risk: An empirical analysis. Financial Review, 21(3), 31-31.

Gitman, L. J. (1974). Estimating corporate liquidity requirements: a simplified approach. Financial Review, 9(1), 79-88.

Gupta, M. C. (1969). The effect of size, growth, and industry on the financial structure of manufacturing companies. The Journal of Finance, 24(3), 517-529.

Gupta, M. C., & Huefner, R. J. (1972). A cluster analysis study of financial ratios and industry characteristics. Journal of Accounting Research, 77-95.

Haq, I. U., Sohail, M., Zaman, K., & Alam, Z. (2011). The relationship between working capital management and profitability: a case study of cement industry in Pakistan. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 2(2), 365-372.

Hill, M. D., Kelly, G. W., & Highfield, M. J. (2010). Net operating working capital behavior: a first look. Financial management, 39(2), 783-805.

Jose, M. L., Lancaster, C., & Stevens, J. L. (1996). Corporate returns and cash conversion cycles. Journal of Economics and finance, 20(1), 33-46.

Juan García-Teruel, P., & Martinez-Solano, P. (2007). Effects of working capital management on SME profitability. International Journal of managerial finance, 3(2), 164-177.

Karaduman, H. A., Akbas, H. E., Ozsozgun, A., & Durer, S. (2010). Effects of working capital management on profitability: The case for selected companies in the Istanbul stock exchange (2005).

Kasiran, F. W., Mohamad, N. A., & Chin, O. (2016). Working Capital Management Efficiency: A Study on the Small Medium Enterprise in Malaysia. Procedia Economics and Finance, 35, 297-303.

Kennedy, P. (2003). A guide to econometrics. MIT press.

Khan, A., Bibi, M., & Tanveer, S. (2016). The impact of corporate governance on cash holdings: A comparative study of the manufacturing and service industry. Financial Studies, 20(3), 40-79.

Khan, A., Sohail, M., & Ali, M. (2016). Role of firm specific factors affecting capital structure decisions: Evidence from cement sector of Pakistan. Journal of Social and Organizational Analysis,2(2), 112-127.

Khan, S. (2015). Impact of sources of finance on the growth of SMEs: evidence from Pakistan. Decision, 42(1), 3-10.

Kieschnick, R., Laplante, M., & Moussawi, R. (2013). Working capital management and shareholders’ wealth. Review of Finance, 17(5), 1827-1852.

Knauer, T., & Wöhrmann, A. (2013). Working capital management and firm profitability. Journal of Management Control, 24(1), 77-87.

Lazaridis, I., & Tryfonidis, D. (2006). Relationship between working capital management and profitability of listed companies in the Athens stock exchange. Journal of Financial Management & Analysis, 19(1), 26.

Meyer, S., & Lüdtke, J. P. (2006). Der Einfluss von Working Capital auf die Profitabilität und Kreditwürdigkeit von Unternehmen. Finanz Betrieb, 10, 609-614.

Napompech, K. (2012). Effects of Working Capital Management on theProfitability of Thai Listed Firms. International Journal of Trade, Economics and Finance, 3(3), 227.

Nadiri, M.I. (1969), The determinants of real cash balances in the US total manufacturing sector, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 83(2), 173-96.

Padachi, K. (2006). Trends in working capital management and its impact on firms’ performance: an analysis of Mauritian small manufacturing firms. International Review of business research papers, 2(2), 45-58.

Pakistan Interest Rate (2016) Trading Economics, Retrieved from http://www.tradingeconomics.com/pakistan/interest-rate.

Raheman, A., & Nasr, M. (2007). Working capital management and profitability–case of Pakistani firms. International review of business research papers, 3(1), 279-300.

Saeed, A., & Sameer, M. (2015). Financial constraints, bank concentration and SMEs: evidence from Pakistan. Studies in Economics and Finance, 32(4), 503-524.

Samiloglu, F., & Demirgunes, K. (2008). The effect of working capital management on firm profitability: Evidence from Turkey. The International journal of applied Economics and Finance, 2(1), 44-50.

Sharma, A. K., & Kumar, S. (2011). Effect of working capital management on firm profitability empirical evidence from India. Global Business Review, 12(1), 159-173.

Shin, H. H., & Soenen, L. (1998). Efficiency of working capital management and corporate profitability. Financial practice and education, 8, 37-45.

Ukaegbu, B. (2014). The significance of working capital management in determining firm profitability: Evidence from developing economies in Africa. Research in International Business and Finance, 31, 1-16.

Van Horne, J. C., & Wachowicz, J. R. (2005). JM (2005), Fundamentals of Financial Management, 12. Aufl., Harlow, England, usw.

Wang, Y. J. (2002). Liquidity management, operating performance, and corporate value: evidence from Japan and Taiwan. Journal of Multinational Financial Management, 12(2), 159-169.

Weinraub, H. J., & Visscher, S. (1998). Industry practice relating to aggressive conservative working capital policies. Journal of Financial and Strategic Decision, 11(2), 11-18.

Wilson, N., & Summers, B. (2002). Trade credit terms offered by small firms: survey evidence and empirical analysis. Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, 29(3â€4), 317-351.

Zaidi, E (2015, December 27). Govt banks’ borrowing surges 30pc till November-end. The News, pp. 1. Retrieved from http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/84366-Govt-banks-borrowing-surges-30pc-till-November-end.

Zariyawati, M. A., Annuar, M. N., Taufiq, H., & Rahim, A. A. (2009). Working capital management and corporate performance: Case of Malaysia. Journal of Modern Accounting and Auditing, 5(11), 47.

Zia, B. H. (2008). Export incentives, financial constraints, and the (mis) allocation of credit: micro-level evidence from subsidized export loans. Journal of Financial Economics, 87(2), 498-527.

Downloads

Published

30.06.2018