Relationship Between Ownership Structure and Financial Performance Among Commercial Banks Listed in the Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish relationship between ownership structure and financial performance among commercial banks listed in the Nairobi securities exchange in Kenya. The research design was descriptive survey study in nature since it focused on all investment firms in Kenya. The population of the study was banks listed at the NSE. The target population was also the sample of the study which was 10 commercial banks which are listed at the NSE. Data financial performance (profit before tax) and the variables for ownership structure were secondary that was sourced from the annual financial reports of the listed commercial banks. The data was gathered by use of a secondary data collection template .The selected period was 4 years. The researcher used averages and percentages in this study. The researcher used Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate the descriptive statistics and also to generate inferential results. Regression analysis was used to demonstrate the relationship between the investment strategies and the profitability of the investments firms. Finding indicated that there is a positive relationship between Profitability and Log Foreign Shares, Log Local Retail, Log Debt to Equity and Log Share Capital as indicated by the beta coefficients. Log Local Corporate, have a negative relationship. Log Foreign Shares is statistically significant in explaining profitability. Results indicate that a unit change in Log Foreign Shares, Log Local Retail, Log Debt to Equity and Log Share Capital led to a positive change in profitability while the inverse is the case with Log Local Corporate. It is recommended that the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) should continue enforcing and encouraging firms to adhere to good corporate governance for financial institutions for efficiency and effectiveness. Finally, regulatory agencies including the government should promote and socialize corporate governance and its relationship to firm performance across industries.