The variation of costs in food industries listed on BOVESPA

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the variation of costs in food industries listed on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange (BOVESPA), and how the economic variables of the exchange rate, interest rate, and inflation influenced the proportional costs, from 2003 to 2015. This is a descriptive and quantitative research, conducted through documentary research. Data collection of economic variables was made on the website of the Brazilian Central Bank (BACEN) and on the website of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The proportional costs were calculated based on data from the annual statements of each food industry published by BOVESPA. From this percentage, we observed how much the economic variables mentioned, influenced in the behavior of the proportional costs, by using the statistical method of multiple linear regression, throughout the studied period. Results showed that all the companies of the sample are substantially influenced by the economic variables in their proportional costs. This indicates that in all industries the economic variables were influential in the variation of proportional costs. Only BRF S.A., which had its results considered as moderate, is not included in this group, meaning that its proportional cost was less influenced by economic variations.