This study aims to examine the impact of firm characteristics on the operational, financial, and market performance of Saudi listed firms during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study applies a number of regression models over the period from Q3 2019 to Q3 2020, thereby enabling the examination of key drivers in the pre- and post-crisis periods. We find that the operational, financial, and market performance measures all saw a significant drop with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The models show that larger firms displayed better performance both before and after the pandemic, though there is some evidence of a weakening of this relation for return on equity (ROE) with the onset of the pandemic. Leverage is a clear negative driver of firm performance across the three measures both before and after the onset of the pandemic, though there is evidence that the effect strengthens after the crisis. Neither sales revenue scale nor firm liquidity exerts a significant impact on firm performance measures. Certain industry types, such as materials (petrochemicals), consumer services, real estate, and consumer durables & apparel appear most affected by the pandemic. Surprisingly, the regression models do not show a significant impact on the scale of the performance measures with the onset of the pandemic. The results of this study have wide implications for decision-makers, illustrating the imperative for regulatory bodies, governments and central banks to combine forces to reduce the financial and economic impacts of the pandemic both now and in the future.

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This study aims to examine if auditors of the Saudi Supreme Audit Institution (SSAI) have exerted influence on administrators in Saudi Public Institutions in order to improve the way they manage public resources. The study also examines the impact of the public administrators' personal factors, i.e. the experience and qualifications of administrators on the contributions made by the SSAI, in terms of facilitating the undertaking of changes in the public administrations. The result of a survey of 96 Saudi public officials shows that the SSAI can claim remarkable achievements, in terms of improving Saudi public affairs. Administrators, irrespective of their experience and qualifications, have shown positive perceptions of the process of performance audit and that they are convinced of the usefulness and the quality of the SSAI's reports. This study reveals that the SSAI has contributed towards helping the managements of public organisations define their priorities and adopt both strategic and operational plans. It has also helped them evaluate their projects and services, identify the problems and shortcomings of these projects and services, and then provide valuable recommendations to rectify them.

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