Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / This study is aimed at investigating the capital structures of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed South African IT firms and compare these to the capital structures of NASDAQ listed US IT firms in order to better understand the capital structures that JSE listed South African firms employ. The study made use of secondary data in the form of ratio analysis from public sources, as well as the published annual financial statements of the firms. The Generalised Method of Moments regression analysis technique was used in order to test the data for relationships between certain ratios. The study found positive relationships between the firm’s capital structure and its return on equity; meaning that firms should make use of their capital structures to maximise their return on equity and as a result, returns for its shareholders. / Hierdie studie is daarop gerig om die kapitaalstrukture van Suid-Afrikaanse IT-ondernemings wat op die Johannesburgse Aandelebeurs (JSE) genoteer is te ondersoek, en dit te vergelyk met die kapitaalstrukture van NASDAQ-genoteerde Amerikaanse IT-ondernemings ten einde die kapitaalstrukture wat JSE-genoteerde Suid-Afrikaanse ondernemings gebruik, beter te verstaan. Die studie het sekondêre data in die vorm van verhoudingsontleding uit openbare bronne, asook die gepubliseerde finansiële jaarstate van die ondernemings gebruik. Die Veralgemeende Metode van Momente-regressieanalisetegniek is gebruik ten einde die data vir verwantskappe tussen bepaalde verhoudings te toets. Die studie het positiewe verwantskappe tussen die ondernemings se kapitaalstruktuur en opbrengs op ekwiteit gevind; dit beteken dat ondernemings hul kapitaalstrukture behoort te gebruik om hul opbrengs op ekwiteit en gevolglik ook opbrengste vir hul aandeelhouers te maksimeer. / Lolu cwaningo kuhloswe ngalo ukuhlola izinhlaka ezifaka imali ezinkampanini zobuchwephese bamakhompuyutha ezisohlwini lwe-Johannesburg Stock Exchange (i-JSE), nokuziqhathanisa nezinhlaka ezifaka imali ezinkampanini zase-US zobuchwepheshe bekhompuyutha ezisohlwini lwe-NASDAQ ukuze kuqondakale kangcono izinhlaka ezifaka imali ezinkampanini zaseNingizimu Afrika ezisohlwini lwe-JSE. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise imininingwane eqoqwe kweminye emayelana nokucwaningwa kwezinombolo etholakala emithonjeni evulelekile emalungwini omphakathi kanye nakwizitatimende zezezimali zonyaka zezinkampani. Kusetshenziswe indlela yokucwaninga ehlawumbiselayo ngokuqhathanisa ubudlelwano neyaziwa ngokuthi yi-Generalised Method of Moments, ukuze kuhlolwe imininingwane eveza ubudlelwano phakathi kwezinombolo ezithile. Ucwaningo luthole ubudlelwano obubonakalayo phakathi kwezinhlaka ezifaka imali enkampanini kanye nenzuzo yayo yamanani amasheya; okusho ukuthi izinkampani kumele zisebenzise izinhlaka zazo ezizifakela imali ukwandisa amathuba enzuzo yamanani amasheya okuyinto ezodala ukuba kuhlomule abanini-bamasheya. / Finance, Risk Management and Banking / M. Com. (Finance)

Existing literature and theories related to the separation of ownership and control and its impact on companies' financial performance, including dividend payment have left this subject in state of ambiguity and uncleamess, with various contradictions and inconsistencies being noted. In order to establish whether there is a significant difference in financial performance between owner-controlled and management-controlled companies in South Africa, as a result of the separation of ownership and control, this study has used appropriate mathematical and statistical methods for data processing and analysis. Results obtained from the study have revealed the existence of a significant difference in financial performance between owner-controlled and management-controlled companies in South Africa, as measured in terms of profitability, asset management, liquidity, leverage and dividend payment. The analysis has indicated that management-controlled companies have been more efficient, more mature financially and paying higher dividends, out of earnings available to shareholders, than their owner-controlled counterparts. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)

Many theorists have linked dividends with the ability to carry signals regarding a firm’s expected financial performance. Despite being grounded on a sound theoretical framework, empirical evidence has failed to unanimously corroborate the dividend signalling hypothesis, with some authors resignedly concluding that dividends are the puzzle of finance literature. Recent empirical evidence has shown that limiting the dividend signalling hypothesis to earnings has contributed to that puzzle. To try and decipher the puzzle, this study extends the dividend signalling hypothesis to measures of financial performance seldom linked with dividend signalling such as liquidity and gearing. Using panel data regression models and data for 39 firms listed on the JSE from 1995 to 2016, the study reveal that when one controls for the mean reversion and autocorrelation of profitability, dividends lose the power to signal earnings. The results further show that managers in South Africa use dividends to signal expected changes in liquidity and gearing. / Business Management / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

For many financial analysts the relationship between dividend policy and share price volatility remains inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the relationship between dividend policy and share price volatility for JSE-listed firms in South Africa differs from previous, similar research done on different markets. The research study answered the research question and determined what the relationship is between dividend policy and share price volatility for a representative sample of JSE-listed firms. In addition, it met the objective of finding and evaluating the relationship between dividend policy and share price volatility for a selection of JSElisted firms, under various economic conditions. The research study spanned a 12- year period with more than 1 065 observations noted. Quantitative, secondary data was collected and descriptive statistics were used during the analysis phase. Two standard multiple regression models were used to regress dividend policy and share price volatility, with the first regression model only providing a crude test between the variables. The second regression model accounted for factors that affect both variables and was included to provide a more accurate test estimation. The relationship between the dividend payout ratio and share price volatility and the relationship between dividend yield and share price volatility were evaluated and reported on, under various different economic conditions (pre, during and post the 2008 financial crisis). The study concluded that there is a negative correlation between a firm’s dividend policy and share price volatility. It further found that a firm’s dividend payout ratio, and not the dividend yield ratio, remains the single biggest contributor in explaining the variance in share price volatility throughout the different economic phases presented by pre, during and post the 2008 global financial crisis. / Finance, Risk Management and Banking / M. Com. (Financial Management)

This study explores the financial performance measurement of South Africa's Top Companies. It aims to find a conclusion on the research problem, that is 'Do South Africa's Top Companies use the available arsenal to measure their financial performance?' Commerce and industry are the cornerstones of the economy of a country. This study purports to contribute to the ways and means of minimising the risk of business failures due to the resultant effects on the economy. The sample comprises of sixty companies. The sampling frame is the first hundred companies of the Financial Mail 200 Top Performers for 2004. The arsenal that is available to measure financial performance is researched in the financial literature. Mainly, this covers ratio analysis and interpretation, and the bankruptcy prediction models. To arrive at a conclusion on the research problem, a research instrument is developed from the host of financial ratios in the literature, including the bankruptcy prediction models. The research instrument comprises of popular ratios that are also found to be 'logical', as well as the ratios that make up the Z-Score bankruptcy prediction model. The instrument is called the Ratio Map and Z-Score and is applied to test the financial strengths/weaknesses of the Top Companies. In addition to the Ratio Map and Z-Score, the measures applied by the Top Companies as 'highlights' are analysed. This is done to determine the extent at which the measures unearth the strengths/weaknesses of the Top Companies. The conclusion drawn is that the Top Companies do not utilise the available arsenal to measure their financial performance. The supporting evidence is that the most frequently applied 'highlights' measures by the Top Companies cover only one area of the many financial fields of a company, that is, share performance. On the other hand, the analyses per Ratio Map and Z-Score have not revealed major material weaknesses in the financial position of the Top Companies. It is proposed that: ïf  More information be given in the notes to the financial statements to facilitate meaningful analysis; and ïf  A follow-up research study be done to assess the trends of the Top Companies. / Business Management / D.Comm. (Business Management)

The prediction of a company's financial health is of critical importance to a variety of stakeholders ranging from auditors, creditors, customers, employees, financial institutions and investors through to management. There has been considerable research in this field, ranging from the univariate dichotomous approach of Beaver (1966) to the multivariate multi-state approaches of Lau (1987) and Ward (1994). All of the South African studies namely, Strebel and Andrews (1977), Daya (1977), De La Rey (1981), Clarke et al (1991) and Court et al (1999), and even, Lukhwareni's (2005) four separate models, were dichotomous in nature providing either a "Healthy" or a "Failed" state; or a "Winner" or "Loser" as in the latter case. Notwithstanding, all of these models would be classified as first stage, initial screening models. This study has focused on following a two stage approach to identifying (first stage) and analysing (second stage) the States of Health in a company. It has not adopted the rigid "Healthy" or "Failed" dichotomous methodology. For the first stage, three-state models were developed classifying a company as Healthy, Intermittent or Distressed. Both three year and five year Profit after Tax (PAT) averages for Real Earnings Growth (REG) calculations were used to determine the superior definition for the Intermittent state; with the latter coming out as superior. Models were developed for the current year (Yn), one (Yn-1), two (Yn-2) and three years (Yn-3) forward using a Test sample of twenty companies and their predictive accuracy determined by using a Holdout sample of twenty-two companies and all their data points or years of information. The statistical methods employed were a Naïve model using the simple Shareholder Value Added (SVA) ratio, CHAID and MDA, with the latter providing very disappointing results - for the Yn year (five year average), the Test sample results were 100%, 95% and 95%, respectively; with the Holdout sample results being 81.3%, 83.8% and 52.5%, respectively. The Yn-1 to Yn-3 models produced very good results for the Test sample but somewhat disappointing Holdout sample results. The best two Yn models namely, the Naïve and the CHAID models, were modified so as to enable a comparison with the notable, dichotomous De La Rey (1981) model. As such, three different approaches were adopted and in all cases, both the modified Naïve (100%, 81.3%, 100%) and the modified CHAID (100%, 85.9%, 98%) produced superior results to the De La Rey model (84.8%, 62.6%, 75.3%). For the second stage, a Financial Risk Analysis Model (FRAM) using ratios in the categories of Growth, Performance Analysis, Investment Analysis and Financial Status were used to provide underlying information or clues, independent of the first stage model, so as to enable the stakeholder to establish a more meaningful picture of the company. This would pave the way for the appropriate strategy and course of action to be followed, to take the company to the next level; whether it be taking the company out of a Distressed State (D) or further improving on its Healthy status (H). / Business Management / D. BL.

The Companies Act of 71 of 2008 makes a number of important changes to the rules relating to capital maintenance. In line with the objectives of the Companies Act of 71 of 2008, section 44 of the Act has removed the prohibition on the provision of financial assistance by a company which was contained under the previous section 38 of the Companies Act 61 of 1973. Despite the repeal of the prohibition, a transaction which involves the provision of financial assistance by a company for the acquisition of or subscription of its own securities still needs to be effected in accordance with the requirements and conditions that are provided under the Act and Memorandum of Incorporation. To explore the new developments, within this study, the provision of financial assistance in terms of section 44 of the Companies Act of 2008 is, therefore, analysed in detail. On the other hand, the UK Companies Act of 2006 repealed the prohibition on the giving of financial assistance by private companies in most circumstances. It, however, retained the prohibition to public companies only because of the requirements of the Second Company Law Directive (77/91/EEC). This study also explores the rules of financial assistance by a company under the UK Companies Acts in detail. Though the source of financial assistance by a company both in South Africa and in English Company laws is rooted in the English decision of the Trevor v Whitworth case, currently these countries have adopted what is deemed appropriate and significant in their own countries. This study, therefore, examines and compares the rules governing the provision of financial assistance by a company in the company laws of these two countries. / Mercantile Law / LL.M. (Commercial law)

This study explores the financial performance measurement of South Africa's Top Companies. It aims to find a conclusion on the research problem, that is 'Do South Africa's Top Companies use the available arsenal to measure their financial performance?' Commerce and industry are the cornerstones of the economy of a country. This study purports to contribute to the ways and means of minimising the risk of business failures due to the resultant effects on the economy. The sample comprises of sixty companies. The sampling frame is the first hundred companies of the Financial Mail 200 Top Performers for 2004. The arsenal that is available to measure financial performance is researched in the financial literature. Mainly, this covers ratio analysis and interpretation, and the bankruptcy prediction models. To arrive at a conclusion on the research problem, a research instrument is developed from the host of financial ratios in the literature, including the bankruptcy prediction models. The research instrument comprises of popular ratios that are also found to be 'logical', as well as the ratios that make up the Z-Score bankruptcy prediction model. The instrument is called the Ratio Map and Z-Score and is applied to test the financial strengths/weaknesses of the Top Companies. In addition to the Ratio Map and Z-Score, the measures applied by the Top Companies as 'highlights' are analysed. This is done to determine the extent at which the measures unearth the strengths/weaknesses of the Top Companies. The conclusion drawn is that the Top Companies do not utilise the available arsenal to measure their financial performance. The supporting evidence is that the most frequently applied 'highlights' measures by the Top Companies cover only one area of the many financial fields of a company, that is, share performance. On the other hand, the analyses per Ratio Map and Z-Score have not revealed major material weaknesses in the financial position of the Top Companies. It is proposed that: ïf  More information be given in the notes to the financial statements to facilitate meaningful analysis; and ïf  A follow-up research study be done to assess the trends of the Top Companies. / Business Management / D.Comm. (Business Management)

The prediction of a company's financial health is of critical importance to a variety of stakeholders ranging from auditors, creditors, customers, employees, financial institutions and investors through to management. There has been considerable research in this field, ranging from the univariate dichotomous approach of Beaver (1966) to the multivariate multi-state approaches of Lau (1987) and Ward (1994). All of the South African studies namely, Strebel and Andrews (1977), Daya (1977), De La Rey (1981), Clarke et al (1991) and Court et al (1999), and even, Lukhwareni's (2005) four separate models, were dichotomous in nature providing either a "Healthy" or a "Failed" state; or a "Winner" or "Loser" as in the latter case. Notwithstanding, all of these models would be classified as first stage, initial screening models. This study has focused on following a two stage approach to identifying (first stage) and analysing (second stage) the States of Health in a company. It has not adopted the rigid "Healthy" or "Failed" dichotomous methodology. For the first stage, three-state models were developed classifying a company as Healthy, Intermittent or Distressed. Both three year and five year Profit after Tax (PAT) averages for Real Earnings Growth (REG) calculations were used to determine the superior definition for the Intermittent state; with the latter coming out as superior. Models were developed for the current year (Yn), one (Yn-1), two (Yn-2) and three years (Yn-3) forward using a Test sample of twenty companies and their predictive accuracy determined by using a Holdout sample of twenty-two companies and all their data points or years of information. The statistical methods employed were a Naïve model using the simple Shareholder Value Added (SVA) ratio, CHAID and MDA, with the latter providing very disappointing results - for the Yn year (five year average), the Test sample results were 100%, 95% and 95%, respectively; with the Holdout sample results being 81.3%, 83.8% and 52.5%, respectively. The Yn-1 to Yn-3 models produced very good results for the Test sample but somewhat disappointing Holdout sample results. The best two Yn models namely, the Naïve and the CHAID models, were modified so as to enable a comparison with the notable, dichotomous De La Rey (1981) model. As such, three different approaches were adopted and in all cases, both the modified Naïve (100%, 81.3%, 100%) and the modified CHAID (100%, 85.9%, 98%) produced superior results to the De La Rey model (84.8%, 62.6%, 75.3%). For the second stage, a Financial Risk Analysis Model (FRAM) using ratios in the categories of Growth, Performance Analysis, Investment Analysis and Financial Status were used to provide underlying information or clues, independent of the first stage model, so as to enable the stakeholder to establish a more meaningful picture of the company. This would pave the way for the appropriate strategy and course of action to be followed, to take the company to the next level; whether it be taking the company out of a Distressed State (D) or further improving on its Healthy status (H). / Business Management / D. BL.

The Companies Act of 71 of 2008 makes a number of important changes to the rules relating to capital maintenance. In line with the objectives of the Companies Act of 71 of 2008, section 44 of the Act has removed the prohibition on the provision of financial assistance by a company which was contained under the previous section 38 of the Companies Act 61 of 1973. Despite the repeal of the prohibition, a transaction which involves the provision of financial assistance by a company for the acquisition of or subscription of its own securities still needs to be effected in accordance with the requirements and conditions that are provided under the Act and Memorandum of Incorporation. To explore the new developments, within this study, the provision of financial assistance in terms of section 44 of the Companies Act of 2008 is, therefore, analysed in detail. On the other hand, the UK Companies Act of 2006 repealed the prohibition on the giving of financial assistance by private companies in most circumstances. It, however, retained the prohibition to public companies only because of the requirements of the Second Company Law Directive (77/91/EEC). This study also explores the rules of financial assistance by a company under the UK Companies Acts in detail. Though the source of financial assistance by a company both in South Africa and in English Company laws is rooted in the English decision of the Trevor v Whitworth case, currently these countries have adopted what is deemed appropriate and significant in their own countries. This study, therefore, examines and compares the rules governing the provision of financial assistance by a company in the company laws of these two countries. / Mercantile Law / LL.M. (Commercial law)