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Profitability and the lifecycle of firms

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Abstract

Using data on listed and unlisted firms in the U.K., this study documents that average profitability changes systematically with age. In their early years, firms realize substantial profitability increases, while mature firms face slow declines in profitability. A model of endogenous profitability changes arising from product development captures this pattern. Investment in product development generates profitability increases for young firms while competitive pressures from new entrants lead to profitability declines for mature firms. In addition, the model predicts that young firms realize profitability jumps more frequently and that the effect of age on firms' policies would be stronger for young firms. Empirical tests support these predictions. Taken together, these findings show that changes in profitability influences the lifecycle of firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Missaka Warusawitharana, 2012. "Profitability and the lifecycle of firms," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2012-63, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedgfe:2012-63
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    3. Giovanni Dosi & Emanuele Pugliese & Pietro Santoleri, 2017. "Growth and survival of the `fitter'? Evidence from US new-born firms," LEM Papers Series 2017/06, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    4. Fengler, Matthias & Phan, Minh Tri, 2023. "A Topic Model for 10-K Management Disclosures," Economics Working Paper Series 2307, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science.
    5. Darush Yazdanfar & Peter Öhman, 2015. "Debt financing and firm performance: an empirical study based on Swedish data," Journal of Risk Finance, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 16(1), pages 102-118, January.
    6. Klyver, Kim & Steffens, Paul & Lomberg, Carina, 2020. "Having your cake and eating it too? A two-stage model of the impact of employment and parallel job search on hybrid nascent entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(5).
    7. Carlos González‐Aguado & Javier Suarez, 2015. "Interest Rates and Credit Risk," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 47(2-3), pages 445-480, March.
    8. Nguyen-Quynh-Nhu Ngo & Cam-Nguyen Nguyen & Nguyen-Nhu-Ngoc Ngo & Thanh-Khang Nguyen, 2024. "The influence of firm life cycle on firm risk-taking: evidence of Vietnam," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 71(3), pages 691-726, September.
    9. Thuy Hang Do, 2014. "Determinants of Innovation Commercialization Management and Anticipated Returns: An Exploratory Typology of SMEs," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 11(06), pages 1-20.
    10. Ralf R. Meisenzahl, 2016. "Can Financing Constraints Explain the Evolution of the Firm Size Distribution?," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 48(2), pages 123-147, March.
    11. Nomita Sharma, 2017. "Innovative Behaviour Of Indian Micro Small And Medium Enterprises: An Empirical Study," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 21(07), pages 1-19, October.
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    13. Zanxin Wang & Minhas Akbar & Ahsan Akbar, 2020. "The Interplay between Working Capital Management and a Firm’s Financial Performance across the Corporate Life Cycle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-16, February.
    14. Liu, Hao & Zhang, Hao & Gao, Ya-Chun & Chen, Xu-Dong, 2022. "Firm age and beta: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 244-261.

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    JEL classification:

    • D92 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Intertemporal Firm Choice, Investment, Capacity, and Financing
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General

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