The Impact of Working Capital Management on Firm Operational Performance Through Business Cycles

Author(s):  
Inês Lisboa ◽  
Nuno Miguel Teixeira

This chapter aims to analyze the impact of working capital management on firm's profitability, considering economic downturn and boom periods. Analyzing Portuguese firms from 2006-2019 results show that cash conversion cycle, as well as days sales outstanding, days sales inventories, and days payment outstanding decreased after 2009 due to the international financial crisis. When the length of cash conversion cycle increases, firm return on assets also increases. This situation happens especially in recession periods, when sales decrease. Results also exhibit singularities across industries. In some sectors, the impact of working capital management in firm return is positive, while in industries with greater cash conversion periods, the impact is negative. The findings also reveal the impact of financial debt and economic growth on operational profitability. Managers need to focus on short-term financing practices to increase firm profits and create value.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Rafiqul Bhuyan ◽  
Mohammad Sogir Hossain Khandoker ◽  
Noshin Tasneem ◽  
Mahjuja Taznin

We examine the impact of efficient working capital management on market value and profitability. Using secondary data on selected firms from Dhaka Stock Exchange we explore the effects of various working capital components (i.e. cash conversion cycle (CCC), current ratio (CR), current asset to total asset ratio (CATAR), current liabilities to total asset ratio (CLTAR), debt to asset ratio (DTAR), siz,e and growth) to the firm’s performance by looking firm’s value i.e. Tobin’s Q (TQ) and profitability i.e. return on asset (ROA) and return on invested capital (ROIC). Our results show that, for both food and overall manufacturing sectors, there is a significant association between working capital variables and firm’s value & return on assets, but an insignificant association with return on invested capital.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Fekadu Agmas Wassie

Companies may have their level of optimal working capital that maximizes their values through the effective management of current liabilities and assets. Previously, many studies were made on the impact of working capital management on the company’s performance in different sectors; however, its impact on the performance of firms that are engaged in export activities was not given any consideration and this particular study has attempted to investigate the fundamental impact of working capital management on the export firm’s performance in Ethiopia. To analyze this particular study, a total of 164 exporters operating in Ethiopia have been taken as a sample and both primary and secondary data collection methods were used. The data gathered from the sample of the study were analyzed using a multiple linear regression model and the result reveals that working capital management which was measured by account receivables period, cash conversion cycle, and accounts payable period has a statistically significant and positive correlation with the performance of exporting firms in Ethiopia which was measured by both return on assets and return on investment. However, working capital management which was measured by the inventory conversion period has a statistically significant and positive impact on return on investment, but it has an insignificant impact on the performance of sampled export firms in Ethiopia which was measured by return on assets. Based on the result of the study, firms may need to extend credit terms for customers, may prolong their cash conversion cycle, may need an extended payment period, and may or may not hold a high volume of inventory. All extending periods and cycles shall be made up to the extent of attaining an optimal level of working capital and better to implement a conservative policy of working capital management. Thus, it is advisable to consider the result of this study while making decisions regarding their working capital management to support their performance.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Sathyamoorthi C.R. ◽  
Mogotsinyana Mapharing ◽  
Popo Selinkie

This study focused on the effect of working capital management on the profitability of the listed retail stores in Botswana Stock Exchange for the period 2012-2016. Financial statements of the listed Retail Stores were used as the main source of data. Return on Assets was used as the dependent variable to measure profitability and the components to measure working capital management comprised of Average Collection Period, Inventory Conversion Period, Average Payment Period, Cash Conversion Cycle, Debt, Current and Quick Ratios. Correlation analysis revealed that a few variables were significantly correlated with each other. Average Payment Period and Inventory Conversion Period were found to be positively and significantly correlated and Cash Conversion Cycle was significantly and positively correlated with Inventory Conversion Period.The regression results showed that only three variables out of the seven independent variables were statistically significant, namely Average Payment Period, Current Ratio and Quick Ratio. The remaining four variables were found to be statistically insignificant.  The above findings have implications for the management of the listed retail store in Botswana.


2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 71-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meryem Bellouma

Working capital is an important component in the financial decision of the company. An optimal working capital management is reached through a trade off between profitability and liquidity. This study aims to provide empirical evidence about the effects of working capital management on the profitability of 386 Tunisian export SMEs observed from 2001 to 2008. The results of fixed and random effects models show a negative relationship between corporate profitability and the different working capital components. This reveals that Tunisian export SMEs should shorten their cash conversion cycle by reducing the number of days of accounts receivable and inventories to increase their profitability.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 81
Author(s):  
Manar Moffadi Al-Mohareb

This study investigates the impact of working capital management and its components on profitability as a practical aspect, and how is compatible with the theoretical aspect. Besides, it examines other financial factors that may affect profitability by using a sample of Jordanian manufacturing firms listed in the Amman Stock Exchange for the period (2016-2018). Theoretically, manufacturing firms that have been studied have current assets over half of their total assets. Therefore, the working capital management role will be clearer on firm profitability.Practically, the results indicate that there is a significant relationship between the cash conversion cycle, which is considered as a proxy of working capital management, and profitability of the manufacturing firms. This provides an opportunity to create value for shareholders by decreasing receivable accounts and inventory, enhancing the profitability of the firms and reducing the collection period and by adopting effective credit policy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dina Korent ◽  
Silvije Orsag

Abstract The idea that working capital management impacts profitability and risk of a company is generally accepted and in last 10-15 years has acquired a substantial interest. Accordingly, from the aspect of the measure of efficiency of working capital management, the objective of this paper is to evaluate working capital management impact on profitability of Croatian software companies. This impact was examined using descriptive and correlation as well as panel regression analysis for six-year period (2008-2013). The results show that after controlling for characteristics of the company and macroeconomic conditions working capital management significantly affects the profitability of Croatian software firms. Moreover, the results imply the existence of a nonlinear, concave quadratic relationship between the net working capital and return on assets. This suggest the existence of an optimal level of net working capital that balances costs and benefits and maximizes profitability of analysed companies.


2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melita Charitou ◽  
Petros Lois ◽  
Halim Budi Santoso

The major objective of this study is to examine the relationship between working capital management and firms profitability. Using a dataset of all Indonesian firms over the period 1998-2010, results show that the Cash Conversion Cycle and Net Trade Cycle are positively associated with the firms profitability. Results also show that firms riskiness, as measured by the debt ratio, is negatively related to the firms Return on Assets. The results of this study should be of interest to executives and major stakeholders, such as investors, creditors, and financial analysts, especially after the recent global financial crisis and the latest collapses of giant organizations worldwide.


Author(s):  
Walter Gachira ◽  
Washington Chiwanzwa ◽  
Dingilizwe Jacob Nkomo ◽  
Runesu Chikore

Working capital is essential for the day-to-day operations of a firm. The study examines the impact of working capital management on the profitability of non-financial firms listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE). Using panel data methodology, the direction and extent of the impact of working capital management on profitability is scrutinised. The regression analysis is based on a panel sample of 39 non-financial firms listed on the ZSE from 2009 to 2013, the period under which the Zimbabwean economy has been operating under the multicurrency system. It was found that there is a positive relationship between debtors’ days and firm’s profitability, a negative relationship between creditors’ days and profitability and a positive relationship between firm’s cash conversion cycle and its profitability. There is some negative relationship between current ratio and profitability, while inventory turnover days and profitability are positively related. Debt to asset ratio as a control variable has a significant negative relationship with firm value and profitability. The results of the study show that for the companies included in the sample, there are mixed effects of the components of working capital on firm performance. Managers can thus create value for shareholders by taking note of the existence of such relationships and take measures that enhance firm profitability.


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