IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibf/gjbres/v6y2012i1p17-25.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Profitability And Leverage: Evidence From Nigerian Firms

Author

Listed:
  • Olayinka Akinlo
  • Taiwo Asaolu

Abstract

This study examines the profit profile of firms in Nigeria and analyzes the impact of leverage on profitability for the period 1999-2007. The results show that aggregate profit level for the firms decreased by 0.02 percent yearly over the study period. However, when disaggregated into sectors, a few firms actually experienced an increased profit level. The results show that firm size has a significant positive effect on profitability, while leverage has negative effect. The paper suggests that expansion, increased sales and low debt ratios enhance firm profitability.

Suggested Citation

  • Olayinka Akinlo & Taiwo Asaolu, 2012. "Profitability And Leverage: Evidence From Nigerian Firms," Global Journal of Business Research, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 6(1), pages 17-25.
    • Handle: RePEc:ibf:gjbres:v:6:y:2012:i:1:p:17-25
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.theibfr2.com/RePEc/ibf/gjbres/gjbr-v6n1-2012/GJBR-V6N1-2012-3.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. William Ruland & Ping Zhou, 2005. "Debt, Diversification, and Valuation," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 277-291, November.
    2. Rajan, Raghuram G & Zingales, Luigi, 1995. "What Do We Know about Capital Structure? Some Evidence from International Data," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 50(5), pages 1421-1460, December.
    3. Wald, John K, 1999. "How Firm Characteristics Affect Capital Structure: An International Comparison," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 22(2), pages 161-187, Summer.
    4. Stewart C. Myers, 2001. "Capital Structure," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 15(2), pages 81-102, Spring.
    5. Paul A. Phillips & Mehmet A. Sipahioglu, 2004. "Performance implications of capital structure: evidence from quoted UK organisations with hotel interests," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(5), pages 31-51, September.
    6. John K. Wald, 1999. "How Firm Characteristics Affect Capital Structure: An International Comparison," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 22(2), pages 161-187, June.
    7. Eugene F. Fama & Kenneth R. French, 1998. "Taxes, Financing Decisions, and Firm Value," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 53(3), pages 819-843, 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. Abdul-Azeez Adeniyi Alao & Wasiu Abiodun Sanyaolu, 2020. "Effect of Leverage on the Profitability of Nigerian Consumer Goods Manufacturing Firms," Business & Management Compass, University of Economics Varna, issue 1, pages 5-25.
    2. Muhammad Ali Jibran Qamar & Umar Farooq & Hamayun Afzal & Waheed Akhtar, 2016. "Determinants of Debt Financing and Their Moderating Role to Leverage-Performance Relation: An Emerging Market Review," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(5), pages 300-311, May.
    3. 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.
    4. Nicoleta BARBUTA-MISU & Andreea RUSU, 2014. "Financial Leverage Impact On Return On Equity For Romanian Listed Companies," Risk in Contemporary Economy, "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, pages 271-279.
    5. Nicoleta BARBUTA-MISU, 2013. "The Effect of Leverage on Profitability of Pharmaceutical Companies," Economics and Applied Informatics, "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, issue 1, pages 45-52.
    6. Eissa A. Al-Homaidi & Najib H.S. Farhan & Waleed M. Alahdal & Amgad S.D. Khaled & Moatasem M. Qaid, 2021. "Factors affecting the profitability of Indian listed firms: a panel data approach," International Journal of Business Excellence, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 23(1), pages 1-17.
    7. 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.
    8. Afolabi Adegboyega & Olabisi Jayeola & Kajola Sunday Olugboyega & Asaolu Taiwo Olufemi, 2019. "Does leverage affect the financial performance of Nigerian firms?," Journal of Economics and Management, Sciendo, vol. 37(3), pages 5-22, September.
    9. Hussien Mohsen Ahmed & Sherif Ismail El-Halaby & Hebatallah Ahmed Soliman, 2022. "The consequence of the credit risk on the financial performance in light of COVID-19: Evidence from Islamic versus conventional banks across MEA region," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-22, December.
    10. Sunday Olugboyega KAJOLA & Adeniyi ALAO & Wasiu Abiodun SANYAOLU & Olalekan Jubril OJURONGBE, 2019. "Effect Of Liquidity And Leverage On Financial Performance Of Nigerian Listed Consumer Goods Firms," Contemporary Economy Journal, Constantin Brancoveanu University, vol. 4(3), pages 91-102.

    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. Hayam Wahba, 2014. "Capital structure, managerial ownership and firm performance: evidence from Egypt," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 18(4), pages 1041-1061, November.
    2. Imran Yousaf & Arshad Hassan, 2016. "Effect of Family Control on Corporate Financing Decisions: A Case of Pakistan," PIDE-Working Papers 2016:138, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
    3. Agha Jahanzeb & Norkhairul Hafiz Bajuri & Aisha Ghori & David McMillan, 2015. "Market power versus capital structure determinants: Do they impact leverage?," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 1017948-101, December.
    4. Bassey, Nsikan Edet & Arene, Chukwuemeka John & Akpaeti, Aniekan Jim, 2014. "Comparative Study Of The Determinants Of Capital Structure Of Quoted And Unquoted Agro-Based Firms In Nigeria," International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics (IJFAEC), Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Department of Economics and Finance, vol. 2(2), pages 1-14, April.
    5. Kuang Kuang Deng & Siu Kei Wong & Kwong Wing Chau, 2018. "Institutions and Capital Structure: The Case of Chinese Property Firms," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 352-385, April.
    6. İbrahim Yarba & Z. Nuray Güner, 2020. "Leverage dynamics: Do financial development and government leverage matter? Evidence from a major developing economy," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(5), pages 2473-2507, November.
    7. repec:zbw:bofrdp:2016_008 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. A.O. Olakunle & P.L. Jones, 2014. "Assessing the Impact of Size on the Capital Structure Choice for Listed Nigeria Firms," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 4(7), pages 184-202, July.
    9. María Palacín-Sánchez & Luis Ramírez-Herrera & Filippo di Pietro, 2013. "Capital structure of SMEs in Spanish regions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 503-519, August.
    10. Shoaib Ali & Attiya Yasmin Javid, 2015. "Relationship between Credit Rating, Capital Structure and Earning Management Behaviour: Evidence from Pakistani Listed Firms," PIDE-Working Papers 2015:121, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
    11. Schauten, M.B.J. & Spronk, J., 2006. "Optimal Capital Structure: Reflections on Economic and Other Values," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2006-074-F&A, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    12. Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2017. "Determinants of capital structure in emerging markets: Evidence from Vietnam," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 105-113.
    13. Alessandra Amendola & Marinella Boccia & Gianluca Mele & Luca Sensini, 2020. "Tax Policy and Firms' Financial Choices: Empirical Evidence from the Dominican Republic," MIC 2020: The 20th Management International Conference,, University of Primorska Press.
    14. Abdullahi Sani, 2020. "CEO Tenure and Financing Decisions of Nigerian Non-Financial Listed Firms: A Dynamic Panel Approach," Journal of Accounting, Business and Finance Research, Scientific Publishing Institute, vol. 10(2), pages 76-83.
    15. Francis, Bill B. & Hasan, Iftekhar & Kostova, Gergana L., 2016. "When do peers matter?: A cross-country perspective," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 364-389.
    16. Ngoc Bao Vuong; Trang Thi Quynh Vu; Payel Mitra, 2017. "Impact of Capital Structure on Firms? Financial Performance: Evidence from United Kingdom," Journal of Finance and Economics Research, Geist Science, Iqra University, Faculty of Business Administration, vol. 2(1), pages 16-29, March.
    17. Viet Anh Dang, 2011. "Testing Capital Structure Theories Using Error Correction Models: Evidence From The Uk, France And Germany," Post-Print hal-00732527, HAL.
    18. Elena Alexandra Nenu & Georgeta Vintilă & Ştefan Cristian Gherghina, 2018. "The Impact of Capital Structure on Risk and Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence for the Bucharest Stock Exchange Listed Companies," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-29, April.
    19. ManYing Kang & Marcel Ausloos, 2017. "An Inverse Problem Study: Credit Risk Ratings as a Determinant of Corporate Governance and Capital Structure in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies," Economies, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-23, November.
    20. Enrico Santarelli & Hien Thu Tran, 2018. "The interaction of institutional quality and human capital in shaping the dynamics of capital structure in Vietnam," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2018-66, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    21. Bülent Köksal & Cüneyt Orman, 2015. "Determinants of capital structure: evidence from a major developing economy," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 255-282, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Profitability; leverage;

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

    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:ibf:gjbres:v:6:y:2012:i:1:p:17-25. 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: Mercedes Jalbert (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    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.