Using TFP model to determine impacts of stock market listing on corporate performance of agri-foods companies in Vietnam

Abstract

Being one of the world's leading exporters of different agricultural products, especially rice, pepper, and catfish, Vietnam has a significant role to play in the agricultural-related, economic, and geographic political issues of Asia. The transformation from a socialist public-owned economy to a private-equity form of ownership through the securitization of resources will have a significant impact on the economic well-being of Vietnam. Since the recent advances of China and its ambition in the South China Sea, big countries like the United States, Japan, and India have considered Vietnam a key partner in their new Asia strategies. Along with the economic integration and trade liberalization, Vietnam is opening its market with 100 million consumers and also many export opportunities to international business and investors. Is the stock market a transparent and efficient channel for their choice? That depends not only on the legal framework, but also on the performance of Vietnamese companies that may become their partners or rivals. This article investigates the effect of stock market listing on the corporate performance of listed food processing and agricultural companies in Vietnam. Using the regression analysis and a total factor productivity (TFP) model modified to fit the Vietnam data, the study revealed that stock listing has a positive effect on corporate performance in Vietnam. Key findings lead to the recommendation that the Vietnamese government should enhance the process of privatizing state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and stock market listing in the foods and agricultural sectors, focusing on market transparency and fairness, securities market reform, and incentives policies dealing with credit, tax, and land ownership.