Working capital management and its impact on profitability:A study listed manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Main purpose of the study is to identify the impact of working capital management on profitability of selected listed manufacturing companies from financial year 2003-2007. Correlation and regression analysis were performed. Results reveals that cash conversion cycle (CCC) and return on assets (ROA) are negatively correlated the value of -0.127 which is highly significant at 1 percent level of significance, which means that as the cash conversion cycle increases ROA decreases. In addition inventory conversion period (ICP) is highly significant at 1 percent level. It indicates that with increasing level of ICP, ROA will be increased -0.065 levels. Further the coefficient of the CCC variable is negative at a value of -0.0503 and p value is 0.006. This implies that an increase in the number of day’s cash conversion cycle by 1 day is associated with a decline in ROA by 5.03%. The results suggest that managers can increase profitability of manufacturing firms by reducing the number of day’s inventories and accounts receivable