THE EFFECT OF WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT ON FIRM‟S PROFITABLITY: EVIDENCE FROM SELECTED MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN ADDIS ABABA ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to determine empirically the impact of working capital management on profitability. To indicate relationship between these two, the author collected secondary data from 19 manufacturing companies in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the period of 2015 to 2019. Inventory holding period, Accounts receivable period and accounts payable period are used as independent working capital policy variables. However, cash conversion cycle (CCC) and current assets to total assets ratio are used as comprehensive measures of working capital investment policy. On the other hand, current liabilities to total assets ratio is used as measure of working capital financing policy. The regression results show inverse relationship between inventory holding periods and accounts receivable with profitability. However there is statistically insignificant relationship between accounts payable period and profitability. The results also show that there exists significant negative relationship between profitability of the sampled firms and cash Conversion cycle (CCC). In hence to that there is significant positive relationship between current assets to total assets ratio and profitability measures has been observed. The other hand, results show that a significant positive relationship between current liabilities to total assets ratio and profitability. To be profitable, firms must try to keep these numbers of days account receivable and inventory turnover days to minimum level. This also helps to minimal the cash conversion cycle (CCC). Since aggressiveness of working capital management investment policies is inversely related to profitability, and aggressive investment policy positively related with profitability, the financial managers of manufacturing Companies should follow conservative investment policy and aggressive financing policy in their working capital management in manufacturing companies. Data and Data Collection to gather the necessary data copies of audited financial statements in the form of income statement and statement of financial position over the period of five years has been use. The population of study will comprised 19 manufacturing share companies in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. The E – views-9 software has been used to analyse financial data and Researcher used panel Least Squares methods for analysis.