CAPITAL STRUCTURE AS DETERMINANT OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL BANKS IN ETHIOPIA (A CASE STUDY ON PRIVATE BANKS IN ETHIOPIA)

A lot of studies have actually been done by numerous researchers both in developed and developing countries such as Ethiopia to ascertain the empirical relationship existing between capital structure and firm performance with varying samples and period as well as application of several and divergent statistical estimation. This study is based on the identification of the impact that capital structure have on the financial performance of commercial banks in Ethiopia. In this regard, secondary data is collected from varied sources especially annual reports of the private commercial banks in Ethiopia. The literature review is done in the report, and it is identified operating, and the capital structure heavily affects net profit. Apart from this, return on equity, asset and capitals employed also affected by the capital structure of the banks. Regression analysis and descriptive analysis tools are used to analyse the data that is related to the sixteenprivate commercial banks in Ethiopia. On analysis of data, it is identified that operating and net profit is heavily affected by the capital structure. However, in the case of return on asset, return on equity, and return on capital employed, such kind of relationship is not observed. Thus, it is concluded on the basis of entire work that capital structure have the huge impact on the operating and net profit, but it does not put any large impact on the return on asset, return on equity and return on capital employed. The study recommended that banks follow a specific policy, in order to maintain a balance in the capital structure. It is also recommended that managers must keep a keen eye on the changes that are taking place in the capital structure.