scholarly journals Does Capital Structure Drive Profitability in the Energy Sector?

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4803
Author(s):  
Monika Wieczorek-Kosmala ◽  
Joanna Błach ◽  
Iwona Gorzeń-Mitka

This paper investigates the factors that determine the profitability of non-listed energy firms from four central European countries: Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. We apply the regression analysis, on a large panel of firm-year observations for the 2015–2019 timespan, to verify the hypothesis on the inversed relationship between leverage and profitability of the companies performing in the energy sector. Our results support the inversed relationship for debt in total and long-term debt, which are consistent with the assumptions of the pecking order theory. However, for short-term debt, we have found a direct relationship, which confirms the assumptions of the trade-off theory of capital structure. Our work contributes to the existing debate on the interplay between financial leverage and profitability, by providing evidence for a large panel of non-listed firms, from a single sector (energy)-oriented perspective.

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Doaa El-Diftar

This paper investigates the behavior of firm characteristics on capital structure in firms in the MENA region. The outcomes of this research are important to bridge the gap between the theory and the practical decisions related to capital structure. The research studies the impact of firm characteristics on levels of debt from three different perspectives; short-term debt, long-term debt, and total debt. The study is applied to 416 firms from nine countries of the MENA region (Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, and Tunisia) over some time from 2007-2016. Various econometrics techniques are used to reinforce the generated results. The results show that a firm's profitability and liquidity levels have a significant inverse impact on leverage, whereas; firm's size has a direct impact. The empirical results also show that asset tangibility and market value impact leverage differently depending on the type of debt used. Overall, the results reinforce the importance of both the pecking order theory as well as the trade-off theory in explaining capital structure decisions in the MENA region, with the results being more significant concerning the pecking order theory.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Winston Pontoh

Insufficient working capital for investment activities is a condition which make shareholders and other firm insiders commonly consider to determine additional source of funds. The decision of shareholders and other firm insiders in determining the source of funds for investment activities shall determine the form of firm capital structure. This study uses 236 listed firms in Indonesia Stock Exchange as the sample and take their financial information in period of 2010 to 2015 as data. In term of hypothesis testing, this study conducts path analysis at significance rate of 5%. Result of analysis shows that capital structures for public firms in Indonesia are tend to apply the model of pecking order theory. Empirically, public firms in Indonesia tend to decrease their usage for long term debt in circumstance if they are facing certain business risk. The study also shows that, profitability is not the main factor in determining firm capital structure in Indonesia.Keywords : pecking order, capital structure, business risk, profitability, fixed assets


2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasım Kiracı ◽  
Nurhan Aydin

Abstract The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that determine the capital structure of low-cost airlines. Accordingly, it is aimed to test the factors that determine the capital structure in low-cost airlines in the context of capital structure theories. In the study, 15 airline companies, which had continuous financial data during the 2004-2015 period, were examined empirically. Panel data analysis was used as a method in the study. Findings of the study show that low-cost airlines generally operate based on the trade-off theory while borrowing in the short-term and based on the pecking order theory while borrowing in the long-term.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1(J)) ◽  
pp. 171-181
Author(s):  
Jason Stephen Kasozi

The South African retail sector continues to experience a decline in sales and returns amidst growing external competition and a drop in consumer confidence stemming from the recent credit downgrades in the country. Yet, firms in this sector appear to maintain high debt to equity levels. This study investigated whether the capital structure practices of these firms influence their profitability. A Panel data methodology, using three regression estimators, is applied to a balanced sample of 16 retail firms listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) during the period 2008-2016. The analysis estimates functions relating capital structure composition with the return on assets (ROA). Results reveal a statistically significant but negative relationship between all measures of debt (short-term, long-term, total debt) with profitability, suggesting a possible inclination towards the pecking order theory of financing behaviour, for listed retail firms. Additionally, retail firms are highly leveraged yet over 75% of this debt is short-term in nature. Policy interventions need to investigate the current restrictions on long-term debt financing which offers longerterm and affordable financing, to boost returns. While this study’s methodology differs slightly from earlier studies, it incorporates vital aspects from these studies, and simultaneously specifies a possible model fit.  This helps to capture unique but salient characteristics like the transitional effects of debt financing on firm profitability.  It therefore delivers some unique findings on the financing behaviour of retail firms that both in form policy change, while stimulating further research on the phenomenon. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuxi (Lance) Cheng ◽  
Ani L. Katchova

This study investigates adjustments in capital structures for agricultural cooperatives and differences before and during the agricultural downturn which started in 2013. We estimate a simultaneous equation model to test for cooperatives’ capital structure strategies based on two main theories from the corporate finance literature: the trade-off theory and the pecking order theory. Estimation results reveal that agricultural cooperatives in the U.S. generally adjust to short-term financial targets for equity and debt, supporting the trade-off theory while there is little support for the pecking order theory within the agricultural cooperatives sector.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-261
Author(s):  
Vandana Bhama ◽  
Pramod Kumar Jain ◽  
Surendra Singh Yadav

The present study tests the pecking order of firms at varying debt levels. The findings indicate that deficit firms at low debt levels raise significant amounts of debt, thus indicating the adherence to the pecking order theory. Deficit firms (from both countries) at exceptionally high debt levels do not adjust their capital structure by issuing less debt. In a surplus situation, Chinese firms at very high level redeem the substantial debt because of the dominance of short-term debt in their capital structure. In contrast, Indian surplus firms hesitate to redeem more debt if their existing debt levels are extremely high. JEL Classification: Q14, G32


2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Attiya Yasmin Javid ◽  
Qaisar Imad

This study investigates the determinants of the various components of debt—short- and long-term debt and their categories—in the case of nonfinancial listed firms in Pakistan for the period 2008–10. We make a significant distinction between these determinants depending on the components of debt issued: long-term or short-term forms of debt. Our results show that large firms are more likely to have access to long-term debt borrowing than small firms and that, due to supply constraints, small firms resort to short-term forms of debt. Firms with higher potential for growth prefer using less long-term debt as well as debt with fewer restrictive arrangements in order to become more financially flexible. Firms with sufficient fixed assets can generate external finance more easily and at lower cost by using these assets as collateral, which supports the tradeoff theory. Firms generating high levels of profit, however, may choose to finance their investments using internal resources rather than by raising debt finance, which conforms to the pecking order theory. Our results also confirm the presence of the inertia effect and industry-specific effects, and are robust to alternative estimation techniques.


Author(s):  
Pavlína Pinková

The objective of the paper is to identify the determinants influencing the capital structure of large and medium-sized enterprises of the automotive industry in the Czech Republic. The sample consists of 100 companies belonging to NACE division 29. The data come from financial statements of selected companies and cover a period from 2006 to 2010. For the purpose of the paper quantitative research is used. The selection of appropriate dependent and independent is realized on the basis of secondary research on studies of capital structure. The analysis of variance, correlation and regression analyses have been performed to see the nature of relationship between variables. Size, tangibility, profitability and liquidity appear to be relevant determinants of capital structure. Growth is not a statistically significant determinant of leverage. It has been observed that the maturity of debt has to be considered, since the investigation of total debt only does not provide precious results. The findings do not unequivocally support either the static trade-off theory or the pecking order theory.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 171
Author(s):  
Jason Stephen Kasozi

The South African retail sector continues to experience a decline in sales and returns amidst growing external competition and a drop in consumer confidence stemming from the recent credit downgrades in the country. Yet, firms in this sector appear to maintain high debt to equity levels. This study investigated whether the capital structure practices of these firms influence their profitability. A Panel data methodology, using three regression estimators, is applied to a balanced sample of 16 retail firms listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) during the period 2008-2016. The analysis estimates functions relating capital structure composition with the return on assets (ROA). Results reveal a statistically significant but negative relationship between all measures of debt (short-term, long-term, total debt) with profitability, suggesting a possible inclination towards the pecking order theory of financing behaviour, for listed retail firms. Additionally, retail firms are highly leveraged yet over 75% of this debt is short-term in nature. Policy interventions need to investigate the current restrictions on long-term debt financing which offers longerterm and affordable financing, to boost returns. While this study’s methodology differs slightly from earlier studies, it incorporates vital aspects from these studies, and simultaneously specifies a possible model fit.  This helps to capture unique but salient characteristics like the transitional effects of debt financing on firm profitability.  It therefore delivers some unique findings on the financing behaviour of retail firms that both in form policy change, while stimulating further research on the phenomenon. 


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