Trade-Off Variables and Market Value: An Estimated Panel Data Study of Quoted Small and Medium Scale Enterprises from Nigeria

Abstract

This study was undertaken to examine the relationship between trade off variables and market value of quoted small and medium scale enterprises in Nigeria. Secondary data obtained from financial statement of 10 quoted small and medium scale enterprises from 2009 – 2018. Market value was modeled as the function of, non-tax shield, business risk and tangibility. Panel data methods were employed while the fixed and random effects models were used as estimation technique at 5% level of significance. Fixed effects, random effects and pooled estimates were tested while the Hausman test was used to determine the best fit. Panel unit roots and panel cointegration analysis were conducted on the study. The study found that trade off variables has significant relationship with market value of the small and medium scale enterprises. From the regression summary, we conclude that, trade off variables have significant relationship with market value of the small and medium scale enterprises. We recommend that financial managers should institute sound, efficient and coherent capital structure management policies such that will enable them determine the right mix or combination of debt, equity or both that will enhance firms’ value in Nigeria. Firm should expand to a level it does not result to diseconomies of scale and the eventual fall in the value of the small and medium scale enterprises. Government and policy makers should provide an enabling market environment capable of enhancing easy source of capital to enhance firm value in Nigeria. Management of the small and medium scale enterprises should employ more of long-term debt than equity capital in financing their operations, because it results in higher small and medium scale enterprises value. Corporate financial decision makers should employ more of long-term-debt than equity in their financial option. This is in line with the pecking order theory. Management of the small and medium scale enterprises should compare the marginal benefit of using long-term-debt to the marginal costs of long-term-debt before concluding on using it in financing their operations. This is because as shown by this work, long-term-debt impact positively on firm’s value unlike equity capital.