Abstract
This study examines characteristics, managerial behavior, and market valuation of U.S. firms that habitually surprise the market. Results show that compared to firms that habitually miss analysts’ forecasts by a small margin, all other habitual groups apply income-increasing discretionary accruals. In addition, firms that habitually beat analysts’ forecasts by big margins also resort to income-increasing real earnings management, and firms that habitually meet/marginally beat analysts’ forecasts apply downward analysts’ forecast management. Valuation tests reveal that none of the other habitual firms fare better than firms that habitually miss analysts’ forecasts by a small margin. In particular, firms that habitually meet/marginally beat analysts’ forecasts by using income-increasing accruals earnings management and downward analysts’ forecast management experience a significant value reduction measured in Tobin’s Q.
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