No abstract

Inventory constitutes the substantial portion of the cost of production of firms. Conglomerate firms faced a challenge pf dwindling return due to the huge cost of production of which inventory constitute the larger portion. Studies have shown that effective inventory management which entails forecasting, acquisition, transportation, inspection, material handling, storing, warehousing, suppliers’ management and inventory security are germane in reducing the cost of production to the barest minimum and enhance the returns. This study examined the effect of inventory control (inventory procurement control, inventory security control and inventory usage control) on the financial performance of listed conglomerate firms in Nigeria. The study adopted both field and empirical survey research design. The population of the study constitutes the entire six (6) listed conglomerates as at 31st December, 2018. The target population represent 108 staff of the finance and store sections out of which seventy-two were selected using quota sampling techniques for the administration of structure questionnaire, while total enumeration technique was used for the secondary data. The research instrument was validated by checking the constructs of the questions in the questionnaire using content validity. Cronbach Alpha reliability test was carried out and the result showed that the research instrument is reliable with an overall value of 0.988 which is greater than 0.70-0.80 threshold. 68 out of 72 administered structured questionnaire were retrieved representing 94.4% retrieved and used for the analysis. Secondary data extracted from the audited annual reports and accounts for a period of twenty-two (22) years yielding 110 unbalanced firm year observations were used. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for testing the hypotheses. The findings revealed that: inventory control significantly affects financial performance of listed conglomerate firms in Nigeria (Adj.R2= 0.873, F(3,65)=10.19, p< 0.1); inventory procurement control has significant positive effect on financial performance (β= .628, R2= 0.565, t(67)= 3.494, p <0.1); inventory security control exerts significant positive effect on financial performance (β= .535, R2= 0.706, t(67)= 2.684, p< 0.1); and inventory usage control significantly and positively influence financial performance (β= .531, R2= 0.492, t(67)= 2.844, p <0.1). Also, inventory turnover period exerted insignificant positive effect on financial performance (β= 4.64, R2= 0.006, t(108)= 0.83, p> 0.1). The study concluded that inventory control significantly influence financial performance of listed conglomerate firms in Nigeria. The study recommended that management of the firm should improve on suppliers’ strategic relationship and provides adequate automated security for monitoring the movements of inventory in the firm.

Risks are fundamentally part of business operational models; it cannot be completely eliminated and if not efficiently managed could result to loss of value. Wealth creation could only take place when the prevailing financial risks in the banking sectors are identified and carefully handled. An expost-facto study of 100 firm-year observations was conducted using ten listed Deposit Money banks in Nigeria for a period of 10 years from 2009 to 2018. The results of the multiple regression analysis carried out revealed that risk management significantly affected shareholders' wealth of listed banks. Credit risk (NPLR) and operating efficiency risk (OPER) had significant negative effect on Market Value (MV) while capital risk and liquidity ratio (LQR) had significant positive effect on market value (MV). This study concluded that four elements of risk (credit risk, capital risk, operating risk, liquidity risk) significantly affected shareholders' wealth of listed banks in Nigeria. Therefore, the management of the Nigerian banks should ensure that non-performing loan ratio to total loan is kept at its minimum; ensure adequate liquid fund in meeting customers demand as when needed, engage competent hands where deemed necessary in their operations to mitigate operating efficiency risk and possess adequate capital ratio in accordance with CBN minimum capitalization ratio, if possible, beyond the minimum required by the regulatory bodies. Contribution/Originality: This study is one of the few studies which have examined the four elements of risk associated with banking industry, as it affects the wealth of the shareholders. The four risk elements considered were credit risk, operating risk, capital risk and liquidity risk.