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The Determinants of Firm Profitability in Australian Manufacturing

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  • JAMES TED MCDONALD

Abstract

This study provides new evidence on the determinants of the profitability of Australian manufacturing firms by analyzing a unique firm‐level data set of firm performance over the period 1984‐93. The panel nature of the data permits the estimation of dynamic profitability models over the business cycle, to test both the persistence and cyclicality of firm profitability. Econometric results suggest that lagged profitability is a significant determinant of current profit margins, and that industry concentration is positively related to firm profit margins. Also, profit margins are found to be procyciical in concentrated industries but counter‐cyclical in less concentrated industries.

Suggested Citation

  • James Ted Mcdonald, 1999. "The Determinants of Firm Profitability in Australian Manufacturing," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 75(2), pages 115-126, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecorec:v:75:y:1999:i:2:p:115-126
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4932.1999.tb02440.x
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    1. Simon Feeny, 2000. "Determinants of Profitability: An Empirical Investigation Using Australian Tax Entities," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2000n01, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    2. Warren, Paul, 2005. "Rentabilité des entreprises sous contrôle canadien par rapport aux entreprises sous contrôle américain," Série de documents de recherche sur l'analyse économique (AE) 2005030f, Statistics Canada, Direction des études analytiques.
    3. Ega Annisa Rizti & Berly Martawardaya, 2022. "Does It Pay to be Good? The Performance of Indonesian Green Companies from 2009–2018," Economics and Finance in Indonesia, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia, vol. 68, pages 17-36, Juni.
    4. Pulak Mishra, 2018. "Are Mergers and Acquisitions Necessarily Anti-competitive? Empirical Evidence from India’s Manufacturing Sector," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 12(3), pages 276-307, August.
    5. Alessandra Amendola & Marinella Boccia & Gianluca Mele & Luca Sensini, 2020. "Fiscal Policies and Performance: Evidence from Dominican Republic firms," Journal of Applied Finance & Banking, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 10(5), pages 1-16.
    6. Ibrahim Abidemi Odusanya & Olumuyiwa Ganiyu Yinusa & Bamidele M. Ilo, 2018. "Determinants of Firm Profitability in Nigeria: Evidence from Dynamic Panel Models," SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, University of Piraeus, vol. 68(1), pages 43-58, January-M.
    7. Rakesh Basant & Pulak Mishra, 2019. "Impact of Vertical Integration on Market Power in Indian Manufacturing Sector During the Post-Reform Period," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 561-581, December.
    8. Ashwin Madhou & Imad Moosa & Vikash Ramiah, 2015. "Working Capital as a Determinant of Corporate Profitability," Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies (RPBFMP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 18(04), pages 1-17, December.
    9. Nina Ponikvar & Maks Tajnikar, 2011. "Are the Determinants of Markup Size Industry-Specific? The Case of Slovenian Manufacturing Firms," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 58(2), pages 229-244, June.
    10. Warren, Paul, 2005. "Profitability of Canadian- Versus U.S.-controlled Enterprises," Economic Analysis (EA) Research Paper Series 2005030e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
    11. Tamminen, Saara & Chang, Han-Hsin, 2012. "Company heterogeneity and mark-up variability," Working Papers 32, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    12. Simon Feeny & Mark Harris & Mark Rogers, 2005. "A dynamic panel analysis of the profitability of Australian tax entities," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 209-233, January.
    13. Song-Ken Hsu & Ming-Fang Tsai & Chih-Hai Yang, 2008. "Market structure, external exposure and industry profitability: evidence from taiwan," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(2), pages 201-214.
    14. Moon Young Kang, 2020. "Sustainable Profit versus Unsustainable Growth: Are Venture Capital Investments and Governmental Support Medicines or Poisons?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-11, September.
    15. Roopali Batra & Ashima Kalia, 2016. "Rethinking and Redefining the Determinants of Corporate Profitability," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 17(4), pages 921-933, August.
    16. M N, Nikhil & Chakraborty, Suman & B M, Lithin & Lobo, Lumen Shawn, 2023. "Does the adoption of Ind AS affect the performance of firms in India?," MPRA Paper 117247, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 18 Apr 2023.
    17. Edwards, Seanicaa & Allen, Albert J. & Shaik, Saleem, 2006. "Market Structure Conduct Performance (SCP) Hypothesis Revisited using Stochastic Frontier Efficiency Analysis," 2006 Annual meeting, July 23-26, Long Beach, CA 21350, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    18. Harry Bloch & James McDonald, 2001. "Import Competition and Labor Productivity," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 1(3), pages 301-319, September.
    19. Mark Rogers, 2001. "The Effect of Diversification on Firm Performance," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2001n02, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    20. Judy S. Yang, 2017. "The governance environment and innovative SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 525-541, March.
    21. Fabio Pieri & Riccardo Verruso, 2019. "The determinants of corporate profitability in the Italian domestic appliances industry," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 46(1), pages 83-115, March.

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