Is Inventory Investment an Opportunity to Improve Performance, or a Challenge to Make It Worse?

Abstract

Objective: Given the importance of lean inventory and inventory cost as barrier to better performance, there is the challenge of whether absorption costing with higher production and more inventory lead to improved performance, or inventory costs overcome the benefit of absorption costing and makes the performance worse. This study aimed to examine the relationship between inventory investment and company’s performance. Method: In line with positive accounting research, this study used panel data analysis with data from 163 companies listed in the Tehran Stock Exchange from 2009 to 2016. Results: Findings showed that there is no significant relationship between inventory investment and company’s performance. Furthermore, the findings indicated a significant relationship between changes in inventory investment and sales growth. Conclusion: Inventory holding in the Iranian companies could not have statistically significant effects on company performance.

Keywords

• inventory investment
• company’s performance
• holding costs
• absorption costing