Capital structure and financial performance of listed manufacturing firms in Nigeria

Ajibola A, Wisdom O and Qudus

Abstract

This study examined the impact of capital structure on financial performance of quoted manufacturing firms in Nigeria over the period 2005-2014. Panel methodology was applied to analyse the impact of capital structure on financial performance of quoted manufacturing firms in Nigeria. The findings of the panel ordinary least square show that a positive statistically significant relationship exist between long term debt ratio(LTD) (0.0001), total debt ratio (TD) (0.0065) and return on equity (ROE) while a positive statistically insignificant relationship between ROE (return on equity) and STD (Short term debt ratio). There was also a negative insignificant relationship between all the proxies of capital structure (LTD, STD and TD) and ROA which makes ROE a better measure of performance. The study concluded that capital structure has a positive impact on financial performance and companies should employ more of long term debts. Therefore it recommends that every firm should make good capital structures decision to earn profit and carry on their business successfully.