EARNINGS MANAGEMENT AND DIVIDEND POLICY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN THAILAND1

Abstract

This study aims to examine earnings management of 51 small and medium enterprises listed inMarket for Alternative Investment (MAI) of Thailand during 2005 – 2012. Earnings managementin this study is measured by discretionary accruals based on Kasznik Model (Kasznik, 1999) andKothari Model (Kothari et al., 2005). Additionally, this study also investigates the influence ofearnings management on dividend policy of these companies which are measured bytwo indicators, including dividend payout ratio and dividend yield, by employing fixed andrandom effects regression analyses. The findings reveal that listed companies in MAI had highearnings management due to high average discretionary accruals in absolute term whichequalled 11.91 percent of total assets based on Kasznik Model and 12.55 percent of total assetsbased on Kothari Model. Moreover, earnings management is found to have the positive influenceon dividend yield of listed companies in MAI. That is, one percent increase in discretionaryaccruals in absolute term as percentage of total assets will lead to about 0.2 percent increasein dividend yield. In contrast, earnings management is found to have no influence on dividendpayout ratio.Keywords: Earnings Management; Earnings Quality; Dividend Policy; SMES; Market forAlternative Investment; Thailand.