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Impact of financial leverage on sustainable growth, market performance, and profitability

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Akhtar

    (Jiangsu University)

  • Kong Yusheng

    (Jiangsu University)

  • Muhammad Haris

    (Jiangsu University
    NFC Institute of Engineering and Technology)

  • Qurat Ul Ain

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University)

  • Hafiz Mustansar Javaid

    (Sapienza Università Di Roma)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of financial leverage on the performance of 424 Pakistani nonfinancial listed companies over the 2001–2017 period. Three measures of financial leverage, i.e., short-term debt (STDL), long-term debt (LTDL), and total debt (TLEVR), were applied to examine their impact on performance, i.e., sustainable growth (SGR), Tobin’s Q, return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and return on sales (ROS). Robust results obtained using the generalized method of moments (GMM) report a significant negative impact of financial leverage on performance. The results also confirm an inverted U-shaped relationship between financial leverage and performance, indicating that an increase in the financial leverage of Pakistani listed companies increases their performance up to a certain level, and after that, a further increase in financial leverage decreases their performance. The results further suggest that STDL is a main contributing source of debt that causes a higher risk of refinancing for companies and thus negatively affects performance. This study’s findings are useful for academics, management, policymakers, and regulators to understand the importance of financial leverage and to choose between STDL and LTDL to fund financial needs.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Akhtar & Kong Yusheng & Muhammad Haris & Qurat Ul Ain & Hafiz Mustansar Javaid, 2022. "Impact of financial leverage on sustainable growth, market performance, and profitability," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 737-774, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:ecopln:v:55:y:2022:i:2:d:10.1007_s10644-021-09321-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10644-021-09321-z
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial leverage; SGR; Tobin’s Q; ROA; ROE; ROS; GMM; Pakistan;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G33 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Bankruptcy; Liquidation
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance

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