Özet:

Today, all strategies that are likely to contribute to the continuation of business activities are carefully evaluated by the decision-making bodies of the business. In particular, one of them is to provide expense and cost control to increase profitability, which has a first-degree effect on increasing the market value, which is the main purpose of the enterprise. Numerous studies have been carried out by academic circles on the aforementioned subject. One of the research subjects was to what extent the operating expenses, which are not included in the cost of the product but are necessary for the continuity of the activities, affect the profitability. Research and development expenses, marketing, sales and distribution expenses, general administrative expenses, which are included in operating expenses, are our independent variables; gross profit/loss, operating profit/loss, ordinary profit/loss, net profit/loss, which are among the profit items of the enterprise, formed dependent variables. The data source of the research is the income statements of 17 companies whose shares are traded in the food sector in Borsa Istanbul between 2009 and 2020. In the study, the research findings obtained as a result of the analysis of the data with the panel data analysis method are included. In summary, in the study; It has been determined that marketing, sales and distribution expenses affect all dependent variables positively, and general administrative expenses affect all profit items except net profit. Research and development expenses, on the other hand, have a positive effect on gross profit and operating profit, but a negative effect on net profit. The effect of research and development expenses on ordinary profit was not significant.