Profitability and the Distance to Default: Evidence from Vietnam Securities Market

Abstract

The paper examines the influence of profitability on distance to default (DD) in Vietnam securities market. The investigated sample consists of 211 companies listed on HOSE during 18 years from 2010 to 2017. We apply KMV model to calculate distance to default and use both macroeconomics factors and firm specific factors as independent variables. Using General Least Squared (GLS) method, we find evidence to confirm the positive relationship between profitability and distance to default. This result showed that, although profitability did not directly reflect the cash flow generated, a good profitable enterprise would be an important factor to help facilitate and generate cash flow and at the same time debt was guaranteed when it was due. Besides, the test results revealed that the financial structure and sales on assets have the inverse effect on the distance to default at the significance level of 5%. The results also revealed that a group of macro factors had an influence on the distance to default of businesses, including spread, GDP and trade balance (via exchange rates). Gross domestic income had certain impacts on the distance to default of businesses. This was also a basic indicator measuring the national economic cycle.