MODERATING EFFECT OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BOARD CHARACTERISTICS AND DIVIDEND POLICY OF LISTED NON-FINANCIAL FIRMS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The study analyses the moderating effect of financial performance on the relationship between board characteristics and dividend policy of listed non-financial firms in Nigeria. Board characteristics is proxied by board composition, board size, and board diversity, while dividend policy is proxied by dividend pay-out ratio. The positivist research paradigm and correlational research design were used. Relevant data for the study were collected from 39 sampled non-financial firms actively trading on the floor of the Nigerian stock exchange (NSE) from 2008 to 2017; the data collected were analysed using the panel corrected standard error (PCSE) regression analysis. The findings reveal that board composition and board diversity have positive but insignificant effect on dividend pay-out ratio of non-financial firms before moderation, While, board size has positive and significant effect on dividend policy of listed non-financial firms before moderation. The study also found that financial performance moderate the relationship between board characteristics and dividend pay-out ratio of listed non-financial firms. Based on the findings, the study concludes that board composition and board size are related with high dividend payment. Among the important policy implications is that the variable of board size used suggest that there is the need by SEC to monitor the available cash at the discretion of managers since financial performance can moderate the relationship between board size and dividend pay-out ratio in order to mitigate agency conflict between management and shareholders of listed non-financial firms which is in-line with the practical problem of the study. It is therefore recommended amongst others that the government through the regulators should provide an enabling environment for non-financial firms to make a profit and pay more dividends to their shareholders since the interaction effect of financial performance makes the variables of the study to be more active in influencing the dividend pay-out ratio of non-financial firms in Nigeria.