The Contribution of Regular Transportation Services, Government Subsidies, and the Optimization of Leverage and Liquidity in Enhancing Profitability for the Sustainability of Perum Damri

Authors

Ramdhani Agung Sukirno , Pudji Astuty , Sugiyanto Sugiyanto

DOI:

10.59888/ajosh.v4i9.729

Published:

2026-06-17

Downloads

Abstract

Perum DAMRI, a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) in the transportation sector, faces the challenge of balancing public service obligations (PSO) with financial sustainability. Empirical conditions indicate a high dependence on regular transportation revenue and government subsidies, alongside a relatively high leverage structure and vulnerable liquidity position. Ideally, the company is expected to achieve sustainable profitability with a sound financial structure. This discrepancy forms the basis for analyzing the determinants of profitability. This study aims to examine the simultaneous and partial effects of regular transportation revenue, government subsidies, leverage (Debt to Equity Ratio/DER), and liquidity (Current Ratio/CR) on profitability (Return on Assets/ROA). A quantitative approach with an explanatory method is employed using monthly time series data over an eight-year period (2017–2024), sourced from the audited financial and annual reports of Perum DAMRI. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression with EViews 13, preceded by classical assumption tests and logarithmic transformation of revenue variables. The results show that all independent variables simultaneously have a significant effect on ROA (Prob(F-statistic) = 0.000000; R² = 0.7979). Partially, regular transportation revenue and government subsidies have a positive and significant effect, leverage (DER) has a significant negative effect, while liquidity (CR) has a positive and significant effect on profitability.

Keywords:

Return on Assets (ROA) Regular Transportation Government Subsidies Debt to Equity Ratio Profitability Financial Sustainability Perum DAMRI

References

Bodie, Z., Kane, A., & Marcus, A. J. (2023). Investments (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1036/1260789245

Brealey, R. A., Myers, S. C., & Allen, F. (2020a). Principles of Corporate Finance (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-52654-6

Brigham, E. F., & Ehrhardt, M. C. (2023). Financial Management: Theory & Practice (16th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Brigham, E. F., & Houston, J. F. (2022). Fundamentals of Financial Management (16th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Circella, G., & Hardman, S. (2024). Public Transport as Climate Infrastructure: A Regenerative Approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 434, 140123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.140123

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Damodaran, A. (2023). Applied Corporate Finance (5th ed.). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119205795

Figuerola-Ferretti, I., & Thomas, C. R. (2023). Public Finance and Service Obligations: Principles and Practice. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19466-0

Finger, M., & Nikolaos, A. (2023). The Economics of Public Service Obligations in Network Industries. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003356820

Frank, M. Z., & Goyal, V. K. (2023). Capital Structure Decisions: Which Factors Are Reliably Important? Financial Management, 5(2), 1–37. https://doi.org/10.1111/fima.12420

Gitman, L. J., & Zutter, C. J. (2015). Principles of Managerial Finance 13th Edition. In Pearson Education.

Hensher, D. A., & Mulley, C. (2023). Public Transport as Public Value: A Comprehensive Framework. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 176, 103812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2023.103812

Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976). Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics, 3(4), 305–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X

Megginson, W. L. (2023). Privatization, State Ownership and Public Service Obligations. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 37(2), 3–28. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.37.2.3

Myers, S. C. (2023). Capital Structure Puzzle Revisited. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 37(1), 45–68. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.37.1.45

Nasution, M. D., & Sari, M. (2023). Interaksi antara Kinerja Operasional, Kebijakan Dividen, dan Profitabilitas pada BUMN yang Go Public. Jurnal Keuangan Dan Bisnis, 15(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/jurnal.ugm.ac.id/jkb

OECD. (2020). OECD Guidelines on Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises (2023 Edition)*. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/ff9b5f7c-en

Penman, S. H. (2019). Financial Statement Analysis and Security Valuation (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-07239-7

Ross, S. A., Westerfield, R. W., & Jordan, B. D. (2019). Corporate Finance (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Saussier, S., & Levasseur, A. (2022). Public Service Obligations and Competition Law: A European Perspective. Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800880289

Wernerfelt, B. (1984). A Resource-based View of the Firm. Strategic Management Journal, 5(2), 171–180. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.4250050207

Author Biographies

Ramdhani Agung Sukirno, Universitas Borobudur, Indonesia

Author Origin : Indonesia

Pudji Astuty, Universitas Borobudur, Indonesia

Author Origin : Indonesia

Sugiyanto Sugiyanto, Universitas Borobudur, Indonesia

Author Origin : Indonesia

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

How to Cite

The Contribution of Regular Transportation Services, Government Subsidies, and the Optimization of Leverage and Liquidity in Enhancing Profitability for the Sustainability of Perum Damri. (2026). Asian Journal of Social and Humanities, 4(9), 4442-4448. https://doi.org/10.59888/ajosh.v4i9.729

Similar Articles

1-10 of 251

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.