Analyzing financial performances and efficiency of the retail food in Serbia by using the AHP-TOPSIS method

Abstract

The aim and purpose of this paper is to point out to the quality of financial performance and efficiency of food retailers in Serbia, as well as measures for improvement in the future, based on theoretical knowledge and empirical analysis using AHP-TOPSIS methods. The problem of analyzing the financial performance of all companies, which includes trading companies, is very topical, significant and complex. Consequently, mathematical methods and models have lately been increasingly used. With this insight in mind, this paper investigates the financial performance and efficiency of food retailers in Serbia using AHP and TOPSIS methods. Of all the observed optimization criteria (cost of goods sold, operating costs, gross margin and net profit), the most significant was the cost of goods sold. The most efficient food retailer in Serbia is Aman. The Mercator-S Company is inefficient. In order to improve the efficiency of food retailers in Serbia, it is necessary to apply the Western business models (private brand, multichannel sales, organic food sales and others), the concepts of strategic management accounting and to strengthen the digitalization of business.