IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i14p11196-d1196707.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effect of Firm Size on the Association between Capital Structure and Profitability

Author

Listed:
  • Amanj Mohamed Ahmed

    (Doctoral School of Economic & Regional Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
    Darbandikhan Technical Institute, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaimaniyah 70-236, Iraq)

  • Nabard Abdallah Sharif

    (Darbandikhan Technical Institute, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaimaniyah 70-236, Iraq)

  • Muhammad Nawzad Ali

    (Darbandikhan Technical Institute, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaimaniyah 70-236, Iraq)

  • István Hágen

    (Doctoral School of Economic & Regional Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
    Institute of Rural Development and Sustainable Economy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary)

Abstract

This paper examines the association between capital structure and firm profitability through the moderating effect of firm size. The analysis of financing choice and firm profitability in developing countries is interesting because of the differences between the characteristics of their firms and those of companies in advanced economies. This research utilized secondary data obtained from the published annual financial statements of 156 manufacturing companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) over the period 2011–2019. The given description was evaluated using a panel econometric approach, namely, the fixed-effects regression method. The results displayed that profitability is negatively affected by capital structure decisions. However, firm size is positively related to profitability. The robust findings also illustrate that the size of a firm plays a significant role in improving the influence of capital structure choice on the firm’s profitability. Similar to other emerging economies, in Iran, when internal finances are inadequate, long-term debt is used as an alternative for financing. These results provide evidence to support the hypothesis of the trade-off theory, which explains the relationship between firm size, capital structure, and profitability. These findings provide significant information from a developing country, Iran, that confirms the argument of the trade-off theory and provides substantial guidance for sector management.

Suggested Citation

  • Amanj Mohamed Ahmed & Nabard Abdallah Sharif & Muhammad Nawzad Ali & István Hágen, 2023. "Effect of Firm Size on the Association between Capital Structure and Profitability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:14:p:11196-:d:1196707
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/14/11196/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/14/11196/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Campbell, T. Colin & Galpin, Neal & Johnson, Shane A., 2016. "Optimal inside debt compensation and the value of equity and debt," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(2), pages 336-352.
    2. Dian Ferriswara & Nur Sayidah & Edwin Agus Buniarto, 2022. "Do corporate governance, capital structure predict financial performance and firm value?(empirical study of Jakarta Islamic index)," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 2147123-214, December.
    3. Muhammad Ahmad & Rabia Bashir & Hamid Waqas, 2022. "Working capital management and firm performance: are their effects same in covid 19 compared to financial crisis 2008?," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 2101224-210, December.
    4. M. B. Mohammed & M. B. Adam & N. Ali & H. S. Zulkafli, 2022. "Improved frequency table’s measures of skewness and kurtosis with application to weather data," Communications in Statistics - Theory and Methods, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(3), pages 581-598, February.
    5. Bonato, Matteo, 2011. "Robust estimation of skewness and kurtosis in distributions with infinite higher moments," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 77-87, June.
    6. Ibrahim El‐Sayed Ebaid, 2009. "The impact of capital‐structure choice on firm performance: empirical evidence from Egypt," Journal of Risk Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(5), pages 477-487, November.
    7. Myers, Stewart C. & Majluf, Nicholas S., 1984. "Corporate financing and investment decisions when firms have information that investors do not have," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 187-221, June.
    8. Choi, In, 2001. "Unit root tests for panel data," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 249-272, April.
    9. An Nguyen & Tuan Nguyen & Phuong Hoang, 2022. "The impact of corporate governance quality on capital structure choices: does national governance quality matter?," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 2073003-207, December.
    10. Ardalan, Kavous, 2017. "Capital structure theory: Reconsidered," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(PB), pages 696-710.
    11. Md. Nur Alam Siddik & Sajal Kabiraj & Shanmugan Joghee, 2017. "Impacts of Capital Structure on Performance of Banks in a Developing Economy: Evidence from Bangladesh," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-18, May.
    12. Stewart C. Myers & Nicholas S. Majluf, 1984. "Corporate Financing and Investment Decisions When Firms Have InformationThat Investors Do Not Have," NBER Working Papers 1396, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Ibhagui, Oyakhilome W. & Olokoyo, Felicia O., 2018. "Leverage and firm performance: New evidence on the role of firm size," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 57-82.
    14. Getu Hailu & Scott R. Jeffrey & Ellen W. Goddard, 2007. "Capital structure, firm size, and efficiency: the case of farm petroleum and animal feed co‐operatives in Canada," Agricultural Finance Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 67(2), pages 279-293, November.
    15. Zélia Serrasqueiro & Ana Caetano, 2015. "Trade-Off Theory versus Pecking Order Theory: capital structure decisions in a peripheral region of Portugal," Journal of Business Economics and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 445-466, April.
    16. Enqvist, Julius & Graham, Michael & Nikkinen, Jussi, 2014. "The impact of working capital management on firm profitability in different business cycles: Evidence from Finland," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 36-49.
    17. D’Mello, Ranjan & Gruskin, Mark, 2021. "To be or not to be all-equity for firms that eliminate long-term debt," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 183-206.
    18. Feng-Li Lin & Tsangyao Chang, 2011. "Does debt affect firm value in Taiwan? A panel threshold regression analysis," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(1), pages 117-128.
    19. Ibrahim El-Sayed Ebaid, 2009. "The impact of capital-structure choice on firm performance: empirical evidence from Egypt," Journal of Risk Finance, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 10(5), pages 477-487, November.
    20. Shirwan Rafiq Sdiq & Hariem A. Abdullah, 2022. "Examining the effect of agency cost on capital structure-financial performance nexus: empirical evidence for emerging market," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 2148364-214, December.
    21. Vo, Xuan Vinh & Ellis, Craig, 2017. "An empirical investigation of capital structure and firm value in Vietnam," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 90-94.
    22. repec:eme:ijlma0:ijlma-01-2013-0004 is not listed on IDEAS
    23. Jianxin (Daniel) Chi, 2005. "Understanding the Endogeneity Between Firm Value and Shareholder Rights," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 34(4), Winter.
    24. Krishna Dayal Pandey & Tarak Nath Sahu, 2019. "Debt Financing, Agency Cost and Firm Performance: Evidence from India," Vision, , vol. 23(3), pages 267-274, September.
    25. Guler Aras & Filiz Mutlu Yildirim, 2018. "The impact of corporate finance decisions on market value in emerging markets," International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 67(9), pages 1959-1976, November.
    26. Samuel Fosu, 2013. "Capital Structure, Product Market Competition and Firm Performance: Evidence from South Africa," Discussion Papers in Economics 13/11, Division of Economics, School of Business, University of Leicester.
    27. Sofia Fonseca & Maria João Guedes & Vítor Conceição Gonçalves, 2022. "Profitability and size of newly established firms," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 957-974, June.
    28. Getu Hailu & Scott R. Jeffrey & Ellen W. Goddard, 2007. "Capital structure, firm size, and efficiency: the case of farm petroleum and animal feed co‐operatives in Canada," Agricultural Finance Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 67(2), pages 279-293, November.
    29. Mashayekhi, Bita & Mashayekh, Shahnaz, 2008. "Development of accounting in Iran," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 66-86, March.
    30. Muhammad Azeem Qureshi, 2009. "Does pecking order theory explain leverage behaviour in Pakistan?," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(17), pages 1365-1370.
    31. Levin, Andrew & Lin, Chien-Fu & James Chu, Chia-Shang, 2002. "Unit root tests in panel data: asymptotic and finite-sample properties," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 108(1), pages 1-24, May.
    32. Amanj Mohamed Ahmed & Deni Pandu Nugraha & István Hágen, 2023. "The Relationship between Capital Structure and Firm Performance: The Moderating Role of Agency Cost," Risks, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-17, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Angelica BUBOI (DANAILA) & Cristina Gabriela COSMULESE, 2023. "Effect of Market Capitalization on the Association between Firm Size and Corporative Performance of Listed Companies at Bucharest Stock Exchange in Romania," REVISTA DE MANAGEMENT COMPARAT INTERNATIONAL/REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE MANAGEMENT, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 24(5), pages 815-825, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Abdullah, Hariem & Tursoy, Turgut, 2021. "Capital structure and firm performance: a panel causality test," MPRA Paper 105871, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Hariem Abdullah & Turgut Tursoy, 2021. "Capital structure and firm performance: evidence of Germany under IFRS adoption," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 379-398, February.
    3. Osaretin Kayode Omoregie & Sodik Adejonwo Olofin & Fredrick Ikpesu, 2019. "Capital Structure and the Profitability-Liquidity Trade-off," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 9(3), pages 105-115.
    4. Khémiri, Wafa & Noubbigh, Hédi, 2020. "Size-threshold effect in debt-firm performance nexus in the sub-Saharan region: A Panel Smooth Transition Regression approach," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 335-344.
    5. M N, Nikhil & S Shenoy, Sandeep & Chakraborty, Suman & B M, Lithin, 2023. "Does the Ind AS moderate the relationship between capital structure and firm performance?," MPRA Paper 119541, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Oct 2023.
    6. M N, Nikhil & S Shenoy, Sandeep & Chakraborty, Suman & B M, Lithin, 2023. "Is the Nexus Between Capital Structure and Firm Performance Asymmetric? An Emerging Market Perspective," MPRA Paper 119669, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 17 Nov 2023.
    7. Vu Hiep Hoang & Manh Dung Tran & Van Hoa Hoang & Thi Thu Cuc Nguyen, 2019. "Capital Structure and Financial Efficiency: Evidence from Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange of Vietnam," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 9(11), pages 1255-1265, November.
    8. Tanveer Ahsan & Wang Man & Muhammad Azeem Qureshi, 2016. "Mean reverting financial leverage: theory and evidence from Pakistan," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(5), pages 379-388, January.
    9. Chiwei SU & Kaihua WANG, 2022. "Does Optimal Capital Structure Exist in Chinese Military Enterprises? Evidence from Industrial Heterogeneity," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(4), pages 128-149, December.
    10. Sadiq, Misbah & Yousaf, Sheikh Usman & Anser, Muhammad Khalid & Rashid Khan, Haroon ur & Sriyanto, Sriyanto & Zaman, Khalid & Van Tu, Duong & Anis, Siti Nisrin Mohd, 2023. "The role of debt financing in the relationship between capital structure, firm’s value, and macroeconomic factors: To throw caution to the wind," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 212-223.
    11. Tung Duy Bui & Huan Huu Nguyen & Vu Minh Ngo, 2021. "Financial leverage and performance of SMEs in Vietnam: Evidence from the post-crisis period," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 10(3), pages 229-239.
    12. Amanj Mohamed Ahmed & Deni Pandu Nugraha & István Hágen, 2023. "The Relationship between Capital Structure and Firm Performance: The Moderating Role of Agency Cost," Risks, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-17, June.
    13. Allini, Alessandra & Rakha, Soliman & McMillan, David G. & Caldarelli, Adele, 2018. "Pecking order and market timing theory in emerging markets: The case of Egyptian firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 297-308.
    14. Zaheda Daruwala, 2023. "Influence of Financial Leverage on Corporate Profitability: Does it Really Matter?," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 13(4), pages 37-46, July.
    15. Zarina Abdul Salam & Roghayeh Shourkashti, 2019. "Capital Structure and Firm Performance in Emerging Market: An Empirical Analysis of Malaysian Companies," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 9(3), pages 70-82, July.
    16. Matthew Adeolu Abata & Stephen Oseko Migiro & Joseph Olorunfemi Akande & Raredzo Layton, 2017. "Does Capital Structure Impact on the Performance of South African Listed Firms?," Acta Universitatis Danubius. OEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 13(6), pages 334-350, DECEMBER.
    17. Yu, Chih-Ping, 2015. "Financial policies on firm performance: The U.S. insurance industry before and after the global financial crisis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 391-402.
    18. Muhammad Azeem Naz & Rizwan Ali & Ramiz Ur Rehman & Collins G. Ntim, 2022. "Corporate governance, working capital management, and firm performance: Some new insights from agency theory," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(5), pages 1448-1461, July.
    19. David Haritone Shikumo & Oluoch Oluoch & Joshua Matanda Wepukhulu, 2023. "Financial Structure, Firm Size and Financial Growth of Non-Financial Firms Listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange," Papers 2303.10910, arXiv.org.
    20. Feng-Li Lin, 2020. "Do DJIA Firms Reflect Stationary Debt Ratios?," Economies, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-19, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:14:p:11196-:d:1196707. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.