IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i8p4516-d538766.html

Working Capital Management Policies in Indian Listed Firms: A State-Wise Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Najib H. S Farhan

    (Department of Accounting, Faculty of Management Sciences, Ibb University, Ibb 40440, Yemen)

  • Faozi A. Almaqtari

    (Department of Accounting, College of Commerce and Economics, Hodeidah University, Hodeidah 1814, Yemen)

  • Ebrahim Mohammed Al-Matari

    (Department of Accounting, College of Business, Jouf University, Al-Jouf 75911, Saudi Arabia
    Faculty of Commerce and Eonomics, Amran University, Amran 83736, Yemen)

  • Nabil Ahmed M. SENAN

    (Department of Accounting, College of Business Administration, Prince Sattam Bin Abdul Aziz University, Al Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
    Accounting Department, Administrative Science College, Al-Baydha University, Al-Baydha R621, Yemen)

  • Waleed M. Alahdal

    (Department of Accounting, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus 21030, Malaysia)

  • Saddam A. Hazaea

    (School of Accounting, Yunnan University of Finance and Economics, Kunming 650221, China)

Abstract

The main aim of this paper is to evaluate the impact of working capital policies on firms’ profitability. The study uses a panel data set of 829 manufacturing firms for the period from 2011 to 2017. Data is extracted from Prowess IQ database. An empirical model is used for testing research hypotheses. The results show that all firms across Indian states follow conservative financing and investment policy. The conservative investment policy positively affects return on assets, whereas the conservative financing policy negatively affects return on assets and therefore firms’ financial sustainability. Regulators, policymakers, investors, and financial managers in Indian manufacturing companies are advised to follow a conservative investment and financing policy, which is effective and efficient in boosting firms’ profitability for attaining financial sustainability. Therefore, manufacturing firms should invest more in current assets, because they need to expand both inventories and trade credit to their customers. Moreover, financial managers are advised to favor a low level of debt in financing assets. Apart from previous literature, which was either descriptive or based on a small sample size, the present study makes a novel and significant contribution by bridging an existing gap through applying a panel fixed- and random-effect model for a large sample: 829 firms. Furthermore, the business environment in India is somewhat different from that of other countries around the globe, which makes investigating working capital policies in the Indian contexts an interesting endeavor.

Suggested Citation

  • Najib H. S Farhan & Faozi A. Almaqtari & Ebrahim Mohammed Al-Matari & Nabil Ahmed M. SENAN & Waleed M. Alahdal & Saddam A. Hazaea, 2021. "Working Capital Management Policies in Indian Listed Firms: A State-Wise Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-25, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:8:p:4516-:d:538766
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/8/4516/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/8/4516/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gani, Lindawati & Jermias, Johnny, 2006. "Investigating the effect of board independence on performance across different strategies," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 295-314.
    2. Chen, Chongyang & Kieschnick, Robert, 2018. "Bank credit and corporate working capital management," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 579-596.
    3. Marc Deloof, 2003. "Does Working Capital Management Affect Profitability of Belgian Firms?," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3‐4), pages 573-588, April.
    4. Marc Deloof, 2003. "Does Working Capital Management Affect Profitability of Belgian Firms?," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3-4), pages 573-588.
    5. Zanxin Wang & Minhas Akbar & Ahsan Akbar, 2020. "The Interplay between Working Capital Management and a Firm’s Financial Performance across the Corporate Life Cycle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-16, February.
    6. Hakim Lyngstadaas & Terje Berg, 2016. "Working capital management: evidence from Norway," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(3), pages 295-313, June.
    7. Ovidiu-Constantin Bunget & Dorel Mateș & Alin-Constantin Dumitrescu & Oana Bogdan & Valentin Burcă, 2020. "The Link between Board Structure, Audit, and Performance for Corporate Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-27, October.
    8. Faris Nasif ALShubiri, 2011. "The Effect Of Working Capital Practices On Risk Management: Evidence From Jordan," Global Journal of Business Research, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 5(1), pages 39-54.
    9. Elisa Giacosa & Laura Broccardo & Matteo Rossi, 2016. "The financial leverage in medium-sized companies: an Italian survey," International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 8(2), pages 101-116.
    10. Al-ahdal, Waleed M. & Alsamhi, Mohammed H. & Tabash, Mosab I. & Farhan, Najib H.S., 2020. "The impact of corporate governance on financial performance of Indian and GCC listed firms: An empirical investigation," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    11. Godfred Adjapong Afrifa, 2016. "Net working capital, cash flow and performance of UK SMEs," Review of Accounting and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(1), pages 21-44, February.
    12. Bana Abuzayed, 2012. "Working capital management and firms’ performance in emerging markets: the case of Jordan," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 8(2), pages 155-179, March.
    13. Wang, Yung-Jang, 2002. "Liquidity management, operating performance, and corporate value: evidence from Japan and Taiwan," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 159-169, April.
    14. Hutchinson, Marion & Gul, Ferdinand A., 2004. "Investment opportunity set, corporate governance practices and firm performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 595-614, September.
    15. A.K. Sharma & Satish Kumar, 2011. "Effect of Working Capital Management on Firm Profitability," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 12(1), pages 159-173, February.
    16. Anil K. Kashyap & Jeremy C. Stein, 1997. "The role of banks in monetary policy: a survey with implications for the European Monetary Union," Economic Perspectives, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, vol. 22(Sep), pages 2-18.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Jantadej, Kulaya & Kotcharin, Suntichai, 2025. "Navigating liquidity in turbulent waters: The impact of global supply chain pressures on maritime working capital management strategies," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    2. 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.
    3. Wetzel, Philipp & Hofmann, Erik, 2019. "Supply chain finance, financial constraints and corporate performance: An explorative network analysis and future research agenda," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 364-383.
    4. Minhas Akbar & Ahsan Akbar & Muhammad Umar Draz, 2021. "Global Financial Crisis, Working Capital Management, and Firm Performance: Evidence From an Islamic Market Index," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(2), pages 21582440211, May.
    5. Dalci, Ilhan & Ozyapici, Hasan, 2018. "Working capital management policy in health care: The effect of leverage," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(11), pages 1266-1272.
    6. Shikha Bhatia & Aman Srivastava, 2016. "Working Capital Management and Firm Performance in Emerging Economies: Evidence from India," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 41(2), pages 71-87, May.
    7. Afrifa, Godfred & Tingbani, Ishmael, 2017. "Working Capital Management, Cash Flow and SMEs’ Performance," MPRA Paper 82894, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Oct 2017.
    8. Zheng, Xiaotian & Zhou, Youcheng & Iqbal, Sajid, 2022. "Working capital management of SMEs in COVID-19: role of managerial personality traits and overconfidence behavior," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 439-451.
    9. Tarek Ibrahim Eldomiaty & Mohamed Hashem Rashwan & Mohamed Bahaa El Din & Waleed Tayel, 2016. "Firm, industry and economic determinants of working capital at risk," International Journal of Financial Engineering (IJFE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 3(04), pages 1-29, December.
    10. Mohammad Tahir & Melati Anuar, 2016. "The determinants of working capital management and firms performance of textile sector in pakistan," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 605-618, March.
    11. Brandenburg, Marcus, 2016. "Supply chain efficiency, value creation and the economic crisis – An empirical assessment of the European automotive industry 2002–2010," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 171(P3), pages 321-335.
    12. Bilgehan TEKİN & Yusuf GÖR, 2022. "Cash conversion cycle and its relationship with profitability as a cash management tool in companies: An application on companies trading in Borsa Istanbul," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(3(632), A), pages 113-130, Autumn.
    13. Ibrahim Danjuma & Mohammed Sangiru Umar & Dahiru Dauda Hammawa, 2015. "Mediating Effects of Cash Management in Relationship between Capital Structure and Liquidity in Small and Medium Enterprises," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 5(4), pages 995-1000.
    14. Nitya Nand Tripathi & Naseem Ahamed, 2017. "Time Taken to Reach the Performance Summit: Nature of Relation Between Working Capital Management and Firm Performance in the Indian Context," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 7(4), pages 530-536.
    15. Mattia Iotti & Giuseppe Bonazzi, 2023. "Financial Sustainability in Agri-Food Companies: The Case of Members of the PDO Parma Ham Consortium," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-31, February.
    16. Nasser A. Alsulayhim, 2019. "The Relationship between Working Capital Management and Profitability," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(8), pages 142-152, August.
    17. Samuel Yeboah & Frode Kjærland & Irena Kustec, 2025. "Resilience in Cyclicality: Impact of Inventory Management Efficiency on Operational Profitability," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(2), pages 832-842, March.
    18. Amr Ahmed Moussa, 2018. "The impact of working capital management on firms’ performance and value: evidence from Egypt," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(4), pages 259-273, July.
    19. Godfred Adjapong Afrifa & Ahmad Alshehabi & Ishmael Tingbani & Hussein Halabi, 2021. "Abnormal inventory and performance in manufacturing companies: evidence from the trade credit channel," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 581-617, February.
    20. Abudu Braimah & Yinping Mu & Isaac Quaye & Alhassan Abubakar Ibrahim, 2021. "Working Capital Management and SMEs Profitability in Emerging Economies: The Ghanaian Case," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(1), pages 21582440219, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:13:y:2021:i:8:p:4516-:d:538766. 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.