Factors affecting the performance of listed pharmaceutical and healthcare firms in Vietnam

Abstract

Amid rising demand in the pharmaceutical industry, evaluating firm performance is essential for managers, investors, and policymakers. This study employs panel data from 25 pharmaceutical companies listed on the Vietnamese stock market over the period 2017–2025 to examine the financial determinants of business performance. The regression results indicate that interest expenses and financial leverage exert a statistically significant negative impact on performance. Firm size is also negatively associated with return on equity (ROE), suggesting that expansion may lead to higher management and operating costs, thereby diminishing capital efficiency. In contrast, revenue demonstrates a positive effect, underscoring the critical role of revenue growth in enhancing profitability. These findings contribute empirical evidence on the financial drivers of performance in Vietnam’s listed pharmaceutical sector and offer insights into improving corporate financial outcomes.
Keywords
pharmaceutical and medical businesses operational efficiency financial leverage interest expense revenue Vietnam

References

1.
Cinaroglu, S., & Pirgaip, B. (2024). Financial efficiency of healthcare companies in an emerging market. Managerial and Decision Economics, 45(5), 3283-3296. Available at https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.4196
2.
Glinskaya, E. E., De Kleine Feige, A. I., Vu, T. L. H., Long, G. T., Hoang, T., Viet, C. N., Larson, B. R., Sen, S., Palacios, R. J., Bales, S., Masaki, E., & Nguyen, N. N. (n.d.). Vietnam: Adapting to an aging society (Vol. 1 of 2). World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/544371632385243499
3.
Jensen, M., & Meckling, W. (1976). Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics, 3(4), 305-360. Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X
4.
Kraus, A., & Litzenberger, R. (1973). A state-preference model of optimal financial leverage. The Journal of Finance, 28(4), 911-922. Available at https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.1973.tb01415.x
5.
Le, T., & Phan, T. (2017). Capital structure and firm performance: Empirical evidence from a small transition country. Research in International Business and Finance, 42(C), 710-726. Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2017.07.012
6.
Modigliani , F., & Miller, M. (1958). The Cost of Capital, Corporation Finance and the Theory of Investment. The American Economic Review, 48(3, Available at https://www.jstor.org/stable/1809766), 261-297.
7.
Myers, S. (1984). The Capital Structure Puzzle. Journal of Finance, 39(3), 574-592. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.1984.tb03646.xDigital Object Identifier (DOI)
8.
Nguyen, K., Phan, T., & Hang, N. (2024). The effect of liquidity on firm’s performance: Case of Vietnam. Journal of Eastern European and Central Asian Research, 11(1), 176-187. Available at https://doi.org/10.15549/jeecar.v11i1.1344
9.
Nguyen, S., Pham, C., Truong, T., Phi, T., Le, L., & Vu, T. (2023). Relationship between Capital Structure and Firm Profitability: Evidence from Vietnamese Listed Companies. International Journal of Financial Studies, 11(1), 45. Available at https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs11010045
10.
Rajan, R., & Zingales, L. (n.d.). What Do We Know about Capital Structure? Some Evidence from International Data. Journal of Finance, 50(5), 1421-1460.
11.
Scafarto, V., Dalwai, T., Ricci, F., & Corte, G. (2023). Digitalization and Firm Financial Performance in Healthcare: The Mediating Role of Intellectual Capital Efficiency. Sustainability, 15(5), 4031. Available at https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054031
12.
Thủy, H., Hiếu, Đinh, Danh, D., Đạt, P., Ngọc, N., & Ngọc, P. (2020). The factors affect financial performance of companies listed on Hanoi stock exchange. VNUHCM Journal of Economics - Law and Management, 4(3), 948-962. Available at https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.32508/stdjelm.v4i3.663
13.
Titman, S., & Wessels, R. (1988). The Determinants of Capital Structure Choice. The Journal of Finance, 43(1), 1-19. Available at https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.1988.tb02585.xDigital Object Identifier (DOI)
14.
Vu, M.-C., Phan , T., & Le , N. (2018). Relationship between board ownership structure and firm financial performance in transitional economy: The case of Vietnam. Research in International Business and Finance, 45, 512-528. Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2017.09.002
15.
Vu, T.-H., Nguyen, V.-D., Ho, M.-T., & Vuong, Q.-H. (2019). Determinants of Vietnamese Listed Firm Performance: Competition, Wage, CEO, Firm Size, Age, and International Trade. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 12(2), 62. Available at https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm12020062