The determinants of capital structure in insurance companies Evidence from Saudi Arabia

Accounting ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 513-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fawzi A. Al Sawalqa

The current study links the information contents of the three main financial statements in a balanced panel data model to empirically examine the effect of cash flows per share and capital structure on shareholder value. The results of the study are based on a sample of 270 firm-year observations from the Jordanian commercial banks and insurance companies that listed on Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) from 2011 to 2019. Based on the Fixed Effect Model (FEM) with Driscoll-Kraay standard errors, the empirical results show that cash flows from operating activities per share had a positive and significant relationship with shareholder value, whereas both the cash flows from investing and financing activities per share had negative but insignificant relationship with shareholders’ value. Results also show that capital structure had a negative but insignificant relationship with shareholder value. Finally, the results indicate that dividend per share had a positive and significant relationship with shareholder value. Accordingly, decision-makers should direct cash to efficient investment projects in order for cash outflows from investing activities to create value to shareholders and to generate positive cash flows from financing activities. Similarly, an appropriate capital structure should be selected to create value for shareholders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-142
Author(s):  
Caio Augusto Franco Lucas ◽  
Rafael Martins Noriller ◽  
Rosemar José Hall ◽  
Maria Aparecida Farias de Souza Nogueira ◽  
Ducineli Regis Botelho

This article analyzes the relationship between macroeconomic variables and the capital structure of public finance and insurance companies in Latin America and Asia. The variables used were: Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Exchange Rate (ER), Interest Rate (%Δ IR), and Capital Structure (CS). Data were analyzed annually from 2010 to 2018 by static panel analysis and multiple regression using the Newey-West estimator. Interest rate and exchange rate were negatively correlated with CS. However, GDP was not significantly correlated with CS at 10% probability. It is concluded that macroeconomics interferes with the capital structure of financial institutions in Latin America and Asia.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shoaib Khan ◽  
Usman Bashir ◽  
Md. Saiful Islam

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the most important factors that affect the capital structure of commercial banks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach This study uses annual data of 11 Saudi commercial, national banks listed on the tadawul Saudi stock exchange for the period 2010–2017. Data was collected from the banks financial statements, tadawul annual publications and Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority. By constructing a balanced panel, this study uses pooled ordinary least squares regression along with fixed effects and random effects to examine the relationship between the bank’s book leverage as the dependent variable and bank-specific explanatory variables that include profitability, tangibility, earnings volatility, growth opportunities and bank size, while controlling for macroeconomic conditions. Findings The findings of this study suggest that banks in Saudi Arabia are highly leveraged, endorsing the fact that the nature of banks’ business is different from non-banking firms. Earnings volatility, growth and bank size show positive and significant relations with book leverage. Profitability and tangibility are negatively related to the book leverage. Empirically, the explanatory variables profitability, earnings volatility, tangibility, growth and bank size have material effects on the capital structure decisions of Saudi commercial banks. In summary, the determinants of capital structure for Saudi banks are the same as those of non-financial firms but are distinctive in nature. Research limitations/implications An extensive study on all the banks operating in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is suggested. Practical implications The findings have practical implications for bank managers, which will help them to identify the bank-specific factors affecting the capital structure and choose the values enhancing optimal capital structure. The results of this study can assist regulatory agencies to formulate an effective regulatory framework. Moreover, the findings lay a foundation for the development of financial sector under the umbrella of the Vision 2030 program in the Kingdom. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore the factors affecting the capital structure choices of commercial banks operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the findings of the study would prove useful in detailed studies of capital structure in the GCC countries as well.


Author(s):  
Bishnu Prasad Bhattarai

The study has examined the effects of capital structure on financial performance of insurance companies in Nepal. Data were collected from the annual report of the respective insurance companies' web site. The panel data of 14 Nepalese insurance companies from 2007/08 to 2015/16, leading to a total of 126 observations. The data were analyzed using pooled OLS model, random effect model and fixed effect model. The study has been return on assets as dependent variable whereas total debt ratio, equity to total assets, leverage, firm size, liquidity ratio and assets tangibility are independent variables. The result concluded that equity to total assets, leverage, and assets tangibility have effects the financial performance in Nepalese insurance companies' cases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 617-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anis Ali ◽  
Mohammad Rumzi Tausif

The purpose: The purpose of this study to find out the contribution of internal (financial) and external (tangible & human resource) factors of growth and development of the Saudi insurance sector and facilitate suggestions. Methodology: The study considers financial data of insurance companies of Saudi Arabia for the period 2013 to 2017for internal analysis while data from 2010 to 2015 for external analysis. Trend indices (chain based index numbers & fixed base index numbers) from financial statements and insurance establishments and human resources of the insurance industry are prepared to know the internal and external factors responsible for growth and development. The averages of trend indices are obtained to get the results of the analysis. Findings: The study finds that there is negativity in operational efficiency. It also finds that the internal liabilities or shareholders’ equities are decreasing continuously. Also, establishments engaged in insurance activities are not enough to cover all prospective customers. Implications: The finding implies that the increase in revenues is not enough. The findings also imply a weak long term paying ability towards this the study recommends further investment in profitable options like securities and avoid excess liquidity and increase insurance penetration. Novelty: This study is one of the few that assesses the performance of the insurance sector of Saudi Arabia. In the process, it performs internal analysis using operational and financial factors; and an external analysis using tangibles and intangibles.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (07) ◽  
pp. 324-334
Author(s):  
Oluwaleye, Taiwo Olarinre ◽  
◽  
Kolapo, Funso Tajudeen (PhD) ◽  
Ajayi, Foluso Isaac ◽  
◽  
...  

Evidence from the past studies revealed that capital structure has an impact on the firm performance. This research appraises the impact of capital structure on the performance of quoted life insurance companies in Nigeria from 2010 to 2019. The researchers used the panel cointegration model, autoregressive dynamic lag error correction model and pair wise granger causality test to measure the relationship among the variables. The study revealed that capital structure and firm performance has a long-run relationshipand 81% long run disequilibrium is corrected within a year. It was also apparent that there is a significant short run relationship between liquidity of life insurance and return on asset. The Granger causality outcome also shows that bidirectional causality exists between firm size (SIZE) and profitability (ROA) in the short run. We conclude that a large size of life insurance firm has more scope to make more profit in Nigeria context within the study period. The study recommended that to maximize firm’s performance managers must endeavor to obtain and maintain an optimum capital structure level among others.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 472-497
Author(s):  
Somaiyah Alalmai ◽  
Abdullah M. Al-Awadhi ◽  
M. Kabir Hassan ◽  
Arja Turunen-Red

Purpose This study aims to investigate whether a religious environment affects a firm capital structure. Design/methodology/approach The authors use data from Saudi Arabia with a highly Islamic religious environment. The authors use an extreme bounds analysis (EBA), which provides a reliable analysis of the determinants of capital structure and aids the process of selecting explanatory variables when there is model uncertainty. Findings The authors find that firms in such an Islamic environment are relatively less leveraged compared to firms in a non-Islamic environment. The authors also find that firms located in an Islamic environment have different determinants of capital structure than firms located in a non-Islamic environment. Specifically, the Islamic society creates decision makers who are more risk averse, thus leading to a preference for corporate financing using internal funds. Practical implications The results imply a potential challenge for growth-seeking firms located in religious Islamic societies. Originality/value This study is one of the first to examine the determinants of corporate capital structure in Saudi Arabia using EBA.


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