The Influence of the Trade-off between Profitability and Future Increases in Sales on Cost Stickiness: Evidence from Jordan

Abstract

This study aims at analyzing cost stickiness under the dilemma between current profitability and future sales increase. The study population consisted of all Jordanian industrial companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) during the period (2007-2017). The study sample consisted of (30) industrial companies, were used in the analysis. Panel data regression was used to test the relationship between the variables in the study. Results supported the Anderson et al. (2003) argument in that selling, general and administrative expense for Jordanian industrial firms listed in Amman stock exchange (ASE) follow the sticky cost behaviour, they increased by (0.34%) for 1% increase in sales, however, they didn’t change by any sales decrease. During sales decline results showed that future sales growth did not have a stressing effect on cost stickiness and didn’t drive greater cost stickiness, however, changes in profitability was proved to have a significant positive relation to cost stickiness when sales decrease, meaning that managers apply greater adjustments in SGA (greater cost stickiness) in the case of the attainment of unfavourable changes in profitability. The study recommended a number of recommendations, including Companies should know the factors that affect the cost behavior and take into consideration when analyzing costs and making administrative decisions in companies which will, in turn, improve the process of making administrative decisions and investment decisions.