Effect of Environmental Cost on Performances of Quoted Firms in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2007-2016 (Published)
The study examined the effect of environmental costs on performances of quoted firms in Sub Saharan Africa. The study adopted longitudinal/panel ex-post facto research design and random sampling technique while quantitative secondary data covering 2007 to 2016 were obtained for sixty-four extractive and industrial firms quoted in the Stock Exchanges of four Sub-Sahara African countries namely South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania. The models for the study were estimated using Ordinary least square regression (OLS) built on panel data analysis. In the regional level analysis as well as in South Africa and Nigeria specific country analyses, the study revealed that environmental costs represented by employee health and safety, waste management and community development costs have no significant effect on return on capital employed, earnings per share and return on equity. The study showed that in Ghana, the predictor variables demonstrated significant effect on return on capital employed and return on equity while only waste management cost has significant effect on return on capital employed and return on equity in Tanzania. The implication of the preponderance of the findings, save for the aforementioned exceptions in Ghana and Tanzania, is that quoted firms in the region are yet to adequately indulge in environmental responsibility or their environmental engagements are not adequately captured and disclosed to the extent that can cause significant swings in the measures of firm performance. The implication of the exceptions found in Ghana and Tanzania is that of comparative improvement in environmental responsibilities, compliances and disclosures by quoted firms in the two countries. The study recommended among other things that firms in Sub Saharan Africa should give greater attention to environmental responsibility, cost recognition, classification and disclosures in the annual, integrated and sustainability reports.
Keywords: Earnings per share, Performance, Return on Equity, Waste Management, capital employed, community development costs, employee health and safety, environmental costs
An Empirical Analysis of Effect of Capital Structure on Firm Performance: Evidence from Microfinance Banks in Nigeria (Published)
Issues surrounding capital structure and performance which have been widely debated in the finance literature, yet there has not been consensus as to how composition of firm‘s capital impact on firm performance including Nigeria. Thus this study investigated the relationship between capital structure and firm performance in the microfinance banking subsector in Nigeria from 2009 to 2018. The study employed explained variables (debt to equity ratio, long term debt ratio and total debt ratio) representing capital structure and the explanatory variable (return on equity) representing firm performance. Descriptive statistics and regression technique were used for the analysis. The results revealed a negative and insignificant relationship between Debt to equity ratio and return on equity, a positive and insignificant relationship between Long term debt ratio and return on equity and a positive and significant relationship between Total debt ratio and return on equity. The results also indicated that F-statistic is 37.16701 with a probability of 0.026372 indicating that the combined effect of the explained variables on firm performance represented by return on equity is statistically significant. It is therefore recommended that microfinance banks in Nigeria and beyond should devise strategies that are effective to expand their debt profile in order to achieve better performance.
Keywords: Microfinance Banks, Return on Equity, Total debt ratio, debt to equity ratio, long term debt ratio
Empirical Study on the Impact of Corporate Governance Practices on Performance: Evidence from SMES in an Emerging Economy (Published)
The study examined the impact of corporate governance practices on the performance of SMEs in Ghana. Both descriptive and correlational research design were employed for the study. Convenience sampling technique was used to select one hundred (100) SMEs from two regions in Ghana. The study utilised the annual reports of the SMEs from 2012 to 2016 financial years. Net profit margin (NPM) and return on assets (ROA) were used as proxies for performance and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression model was used to estimate the level of impact of corporate governance on the performance of SMEs in Ghana. The study found empirical evidence to support the view that the board size (BS) has a negative impact on NPM, though insignificant. In addition, the evidence obtained indicate that board gender (BG) and management ownership (MO), all have positive impact on NPM. The evidence also showed that role difference for CEO and board chairman (DR) has a negative and positive impact on both ROA and ROE. Similarly, the results showed that board size (BS) has an insignificant negative impact on ROA. Additionally, it was ascertained that board gender (BG) and management ownership (MO) have positive impact on ROA, though the level of impact of board gender (BG) and management ownership (MO) are statistically insignificant. The results further provide evidence that the control variables: firm age (Fage) and industry of the firms (FInd) have a significant positive impact on both NPM and ROA. Generally, the evidence obtained show that corporate governance has positive but insignificant impact on performance of SMEs.
Keywords: Corporate Governance, Ghana Stock Exchange, Manufacturing Firms, Return on Assets, Return on Equity
Effect of Intellectual Capital on Financial Performance of Banks in Nigeria (Published)
This paper appraised the effect of intellectual capital on financial performance of firms in Nigeria using the banking industry. The research used the Value Added Intellectual Coefficient (VAIC) to ascertain the extent that intellectual capital indices affect financial performance of three Nigeria. Data were collected from the published annual financial statements of the three banks and analyzed using regression tool. The study indicates that IC has a positive and significant effect on banks’ financial performances of the banks but some are not significant. The results further showed that the banks are statistically different in both the intellectual capital and its financial performance indicators. It also shows that the banks with high IC also show high financial performance. The study recommends banks in Nigeria invest vigorously in development of their human capital as a key driver of firm’s performance. They should also provide the infrastructures needed for to achieve a virile human capital in the system.
Keywords: Financial Performance, Gross Earnings., Intellectual Capital, Return on Assets, Return on Equity
The Effect of Dividend Payout on Performance Evaluation: Evidence of Quoted Cement Companies in Nigeria (Published)
The issue of dividend payout is a very important matter in the current business environment and more especially on the performance evaluation of firms’. The dividend payment decisions of firms are the primary element of any corporate policy which is basically the benefit of shareholders in return for investing their money in the organization. The successful selection and use of appropriate dividend policy is one of the key elements of the firm’s performance evaluation. Hence, proper care and attention need to be given when such decision is taken. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of dividend payout on performance evaluation of quoted cement companies in Nigeria over the past twelve (12) years period from 2003 to 2014. The researcher employed four (4) variables for the analyses such as: Dividend Payout Ratio (DPR); Return on Capital Employed (ROCE); Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE). Performance evaluation as dependent variable is represented by Return on Capital Employed (ROCE); Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE) while Dividend Payout stands as Dividend Payout Ratio (DPR) for independent variable. Secondary data were obtained from the financial statements (Statement of Comprehensive income and Statement of Financial Position) of the selected quoted cement companies in Nigeria on Nigerian Stock Exchange. The model specification for the analysis of data is ordinary least squares techniques applied as panel estimation while descriptive research method and simple linear regression for the analyses. The researchers’ empirical results suggest that dividend payout ratio (DPR) has positive relationship with all the dependent variables (ROCE, ROA and ROE) used for this study; that dividend payout ratio (DPR) has statistically significant with Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) and Return on Asset (ROA) while DPR has statistically insignificant with Return on Equity (ROE) of quoted cement companies in Nigeria and that R2 of all the dependent variables (Return on Capital Employed; Return on Assets and Return on Equity) used for this study were affected by other variables outside our model. It further revealed that dividend payout ratio (DPR) has statistically effect on Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) and Return on Assets (ROA) of quoted cement companies in Nigeria while DPR has no statistically effect on Return on Equity (ROE) of quoted cement companies in Nigeria. Based on this, we recommend that management should improve on their Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE) as they are of great important in the valuation of performance evaluation of quoted cement companies in Nigeria; adopt optimal dividend policy that would better the lots of shareholders both in the short-run and long-run; devote adequate time in designing a dividend policy that will enhance firm’s performance and shareholder value and adopted good dividend payout policies in order to reduce agency cost and maximise the value of the company and attract more investors.
Keywords: Dividend Payout Ratio, Return on Assets, Return on Capital Employed, Return on Equity, Spss and Dividend Policy
Assessing the Impact of Liquidity and Profitability Ratios on Growth of Profits in Pharmaceutical Firms in Nigeri (Published)
This paper assesses the impact of liquidity and profitability ratios on growth of profits in Pharmaceutical firms in Nigeria. Eight ratios: acid test, current ratio, net working Capital. Return on assets, returns on capital employed, returns on equity, gross profit ratio and net profit ratio were regressed against the dependent variable growth of profit. Haussmann test was conducted to choose between Fixed Effect and Random Effects model. Results justified the use of Fixed Effect model. Test results indicate significant contributions of all the variables to profit growth of pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria implying that continued improvement in the variables can lead to increases in growth of profit by the Pharmaceutical firms.
Keywords: Growth of Profit, Liquidity, Profitability, Return on Assets, Return on Capital Employed, Return on Equity, Working capital.
CAPITAL STRUCTURE AND BANK PERFORMANCE – EVIDENCE FROM SUB-SAHARA AFRICA (Published)
This paper seeks to examine the relationship between capital structure and bank performance in Sub-Sahara Africa. This study has employed the use of panel data techniques to analyze the relationship between capital structure and bank performance. The performance variables used in the study were return on asset (ROA), Return on equity (ROE) and net interest margin (NIM). The results from Levin-Lin-Chu and Im-pesaran-shin unit root test show that all the variables were stationary in levels. The study hypothesized negative relationship between capital structure and bank performance. The results also indicate that capital structure does not determine bank performance but rather it is performance that determines banks capital structure.
Keywords: Capital Structure. Bank performance, Return on Asset and Net Interst margin, Return on Equity, Total debt ratio
Sector-wise Effect of Solvency on Profitability: Evidence from Jordanian Context (Review Completed - Accepted)
This study is conducted to investigate the effect of solvency on profitability among Jordanian Industrial sectors. As far as this study is concerned solvency which expressed by debt ratio (DEBT), and equity ratio (EQUITY), and the profitability which expressed by variables including earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), net profit margin (NPM), return on asset (ROA), and return on equity (ROE), and. For the analysis the multiple regressions cover a period 2008-2011, used to examine the effect of solvency on profitability among sectors. The study found that table the Mining and Extraction sector has the highest earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) while the lowest the Glass and Ceramic Industries. The Mining and Extraction sector has the highest Net Profit Margin (NPM), return on asset (ROA); return on equity (ROE) while the lowest the Glass and Ceramic Industries. Also table the Electrical Industries sector has the highest debit ratio (DEBT) while the lowest the Glass and Ceramic Industries. But The Glass and Ceramic Industries have the highest equity ratio (EQUITY) and the lowest equity ratio (EQUITY) for the Electrical Industries sector.
The study revealed that solvency has a significant relationship with earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), net profit margin (NPM), return on asset (ROA), and return on equity (ROE), because the test was at level 5%.
Keywords: Amman Stock Exchange (ASE), Debt Ratio, Earning before Interest and Tax, Equity Ratio, Net Profit Margin, Profitability, Return on Asset, Return on Equity, Solvency