Effect of Working Capital Management on Market Value of Quoted Food and Beverages Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria

Abstract

The success of a firm relies ultimately on its ability to generate cash receipt more than disbursement. Hence, business survival depends largely on its ability to manage its resources most especially its working capital, which are cash and other related short term assets. Therefore, this study examined the effect of working capital management on market value of quoted food and beverages manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Working capital management is proxied by cash conversion cycle, current ratio and quick ratio as independent variables while market value is proxied by market capitalization as dependent variable. Ten years period was covered in the study from 2008 to 2017. Descriptive research design was adopted in the study and multiple regression analysis was used to ascertain the effect of working capital management on firm market value. The result revealed that cash conversion cycle has a negative significant effect on market value of food and beverages manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Current ratio has a positive but insignificant effect on market capitalization and quick ratio has a positive insignificant effect on market capitalization of food and beverages companies in Nigeria. The study concludes that an increase in cash conversion cycle will reduce market capitalization of food and beverages manufacturing firms in Nigeria. The study therefore recommends that food and beverages firms in Nigeria should reduce their conversion cycle in order to generate more profit since it has a negative significant effect on market value.