SUMMARY
AbstractInvestigations into the relationship between capital structure and firm performance over the years have consistently produced mixed results in the light of prevailing theories relevant to the concept of capital structure. The study examined the nature of the relationship between the capital structure of Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in Nigeria and the trend of performance recorded in the industry. Leverage was adopted as a surrogate for capital structure, while firm performance was proxied by profit efficiency and return on equity. A regression analysis test was applied to a balanced panel data, pooled from a sample of 11 DMBs to determine the impact of capital structure on performance. The study found evidence that supports a non-monotonic relationship between capital structure and performance of DMBs, as predicted by the agency cost theoretical model. A major recommendation elicited from the findings of the study advocates for legal control on the proportion of debt DMBs can include in their capital structure if they are to operate as efficiently as expected.