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The Impact of Firm Risk and the COVID-19 Crisis on Working Capital Management Strategies: Evidence from a Market Affected by Economic Uncertainty

Author

Listed:
  • Hossein Tarighi

    (Department of Accounting, Attar Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad 9177939579, Iran)

  • Grzegorz Zimon

    (Department of Finance, Banking, and Accountancy, The Faculty of Management, Rzeszow University of Technology, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland)

  • Mohammad Javad Sheikh

    (Faculty of Financial Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran 1491115719, Iran)

  • Mohammad Sayrani

    (Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Management and Accounting, Shahab Danesh University, Qom 3711687764, Iran)

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and firm risk on working capital management policies among manufacturing firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE). The study sample consists of 1200 observations and 200 companies listed on the TSE over a six-year period from 2016 to 2021; furthermore, the statistical method used to test the hypotheses is ordinary least squares (OLS). The results show that the COVID-19 pandemic has led managers to increase current assets to total assets ratio (CATAR), current ratio (CR), quick ratio (QR), net working capital (NWC), cash to current assets (CTCA) ratio, while it has caused a decrease in operational cycle (OC), days account receivables (DAR), and current liabilities to total assets ratio (CLTAR). Furthermore, we find that the higher the company’s risk, the more managers are motivated to embrace the working capital investment policy, net working capital, cash to current assets ratio, and cash conversion efficiency (CCE). In general, our findings indicate that during times of crisis, Iranian companies tend to adopt conservative working capital policies to ensure sufficient liquidity to respond appropriately to unforeseen events. In this study, the theory of liquidity preference aligns with the observed behavior of firms in response to the COVID-19 crisis and firm risk, where the emphasis on liquidity and short-term financial stability becomes paramount.

Suggested Citation

  • Hossein Tarighi & Grzegorz Zimon & Mohammad Javad Sheikh & Mohammad Sayrani, 2024. "The Impact of Firm Risk and the COVID-19 Crisis on Working Capital Management Strategies: Evidence from a Market Affected by Economic Uncertainty," Risks, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-33, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jrisks:v:12:y:2024:i:4:p:72-:d:1380276
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chi‐Chuan Lee & Chien‐Chiang Lee & Yizhong Wu, 2023. "The impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on hospitality stock returns in China," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(2), pages 1787-1800, April.
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    3. Bana Abuzayed, 2012. "Working capital management and firms’ performance in emerging markets: the case of Jordan," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 8(2), pages 155-179, March.
    4. Robert E. Hoyt & Andre P. Liebenberg, 2011. "The Value of Enterprise Risk Management," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 78(4), pages 795-822, December.
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