Determinants Of Earnings Management Research Articles

Conservatism as a moderating variable on the determinants of earnings management

This study aims to provide empirical evidence about the determinants that can impact earnings management, through board diligence, ownership concentration, CEO ownership, and CEO tenure, as well as testing conservatism as a moderating variable. Secondary data, specifically information derived from annual financial reports, are utilized in this study. Information for financial reports is acquired from the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) data stream and website from 2013 to 2022, the population of this study comprises all banking institutions listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. This study’s findings demonstrate that the presence of board diligence significantly hinders earnings management. Moreover, the findings of this study demonstrate that organizations characterized by a significant concentration of ownership will have the capacity to mitigate the prevalence of earnings management practices. Additionally, this study’s findings demonstrate that a reduction in earnings management activities is associated with greater CEO ownership. The findings of this study offer a practical illustration for stakeholders regarding the responsibilities of shareholders, which may prove beneficial in overseeing an organization’s operations. This study shows that high conservatism in companies actually mitigates the good effects of the ownership concentration and CEO ownership variables on earnings management. In summary, this study establishes that companies characterized by elevated levels of conservatism do not actively engage in earnings management practices that are beneficial to the organization. AcknowledgmentThis research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors.

Futures, provisional sales, and earnings management in the global gold mining industry

This study investigates the impact of futures on earnings management in the gold mining industry. Using quarterly data from a global sample of gold firms between 2003 and 2019, we find evidence of income-increasing accruals and real earnings management during contango periods (when futures price exceed the current spot price). Conversely, gold firms use income-decreasing accruals and real earnings management during backwardation periods (when the current spot price exceeds the futures price). This study contributes to the literature with evidence on futures as determinants of earnings management, as well as on the process through which managers smooth earnings.

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE DETERMINANTS OF EARNINGS MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA

This study is based on the assessment of Tax Aggressiveness, Share Price, Return on Assets as determinants of Earnings Management among quoted industrial and consumer goods sectors in Nigeria between the periods of 2012-2022. A sample of thirty-two (32) firms were drawn out of the listed non-financial firms in Nigeria. The study was quantitative in nature and made use of secondary data which was sourced from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) factbook, National Bureau of Statistics, and annual reports of selected industrial and consumer goods firms. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis was used to determine the nature of the data as well as the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The pooled panel regression analysis, the Hausman test and the random effect model (REM) method of model estimation employed was used in the study. The findings revealed that share price and return on assets are the primary determinants that significantly affect the earnings management of publicly traded companies in the industrial and consumer goods sectors during the observed timeframe. Moreover, firm size is perceived as a significant control factor in determining earnings management. Tax aggressiveness on the other hand showed no significant impact on earnings management. Based on the findings the study recommended that Projects that enhance the firms' profitability should be at the center of the investment objective of managers overseeing industrial and consumer goods firms that are publicly traded. In addition, projects with favourable net present values should be embarked on by managers of industrial and consumer goods firms listed on the stock exchange. Furthermore, cutting edge earnings management strategies should be adopted by managers of industrial and consumer goods firms that are publicly traded. They can as well prioritize the utilization of tax aggressiveness.
 Keywords: Earnings Management, Tax Aggressiveness, Share Price, Return on Assets, Hausman Test.

Local government debt and earnings management: evidence from China

PurposeThis study examines the effect of local government debt (LGD) on corporate earnings management using 25,624 firm-year observations from 2007 to 2019.Design/methodology/approachPooled ordinary least squares (OLS) regression is used to examine the impact of LGD on earnings management. A difference-in-differences (DID) method is also used to alleviate potential endogeneity.FindingsResults show that LGD motivates firms to increase earnings management, especially income-decreasing earnings management. Findings are robust to DID method and robustness tests. Heterogeneity analyses show that the positive effect of LGD on earnings management is pronounced in firms with political dependence and moderated by external governance mechanisms. Further discussions indicate that tax enforcement is an underlying channel for LGD to affect earnings management. Firms engage in downward real earnings management by increasing their abnormal discretionary expenditures and higher LGD leads to a greater book-tax difference in those firms that manipulate income-decreasing earnings management.Originality/valueThis study contributes towards examining the political costs hypothesis, the microeconomic effects of LGD and the determinants of earnings management.

Chief financial officer overconfidence and earnings management

ABSTRACT This study explores the relationship between overconfident Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and earnings management. Through the lens of upper echelons and overconfidence theories, and using a large sample of 14,156 observations of US firms from 1999 to 2021 inclusive, our study finds that overconfident CFOs are positively associated with earnings management. We show that overconfident CFOs use earnings management to reduce earnings volatility, given that a smooth performance can release their financing pressure. In doing this, we rule out another possible explanation of overconfident CFOs engaging in earnings management to pursue high compensation. Our findings pass a series of robustness tests, including entropy balancing, the Difference-in-Differences test based on the propensity score matching sample (PSM-DID), and alternative measures of main variables. Our study provides a new determinant of earnings management that has more explanatory power than CFO demographic traits – i.e. CFO cognitive biases. Our findings nonetheless show the “bright” side of CFO overconfidence, helping investors, regulators, and policymakers understand overconfident CFOs’ financial reporting decisions.

Earnings management determinants: Comparison between Islamic and Conventional Banks across the ASEAN region

This study aims to analyze company characteristics as a determinant of conventional and Islamic bank earnings management in several ASEAN countries (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). The Multiple Discriminant Analysis was used to determine the differences between Islamic and Conventional Banks. This test was conducted based on Capital Adequacy Ratio, Income Before Tax and Interest, Non-Performing and Changing Loans, Company's Size, CPI, and Kurs in banks located in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam from 2014 to 2020. The data obtained from 40 banking entities were analyzed discriminatively. The results showed simultaneous differences between Capital Adequacy Ratio, Income Before Tax and Interest, Non-Performing and Changing Loans, Company's Size, CPI, and Kurs as determinants of earnings management between Islamic and conventional banks. It also showed that the Company's Size was the dominant variable determining the management differences. Based on Discriminant Analysis, there were significant differences in conventional and Islamic earnings management determinants. The Changing Loan variable showed the highest contribution in determining earnings management in Islamic banks. Overall, this study found that conventional banks dominated the Islamic system in practicing earnings management.

The Effect of Profitability, Financial Leverage, and Accounting Expertise of The Board of Commissioners on Earnings Management

Purpose: This study examines the impact of profitability, financial leverage, and accounting expertise of the board of commissioners on earnings management practices. Earnings management is a serious problem for some companies with unstable financial conditions. Therefore, it is important to know the factors that can encourage earnings management Methodology: This research is quantitative research. The sample in this study were 92 manufacturing companies listed on the IDX in 2015 – 2019. Data analysis used panel data regression through E-views. Findings: The results of this study indicate that profitability and financial leverage are determinants of earnings management. Other results show that the accounting expertise of the board of commissioners has no effect on earnings management practices. Novelty: Most of the previous research focused on the aspect of the number of the board of commissioners in mitigating earnings management, this study tries to analyze a more specific factor, namely the accounting expertise of the board of commissioners because board members who understand accounting will more easily find errors in financial statement disclosures. Keywords: Leverage, Earnings Management, Profitability, Financial leverage, Accounting Expertise

Determinants of Earnings Management in Food and Beverage Sector Companies in Indonesian

This research aims to provide evidence that leverage, managerial ownership, board of directors, and firm size affect earnings management. The type of research used in this research is quantitative research with a descriptive approach. The population in this study is all manufacturing companies in the food and beverage sector listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange, which are 18 companies and disclose annual reports for 2017-2021. The data collection technique used in this study is more precisely using the purposive sampling technique so that the researcher will take 45 samples from the population. This study found that leverage, managerial ownership, and firm size positively and significantly affect earnings management. In contrast, the board of directors has a negative and insignificant effect on earnings management.

Managerial ability, corporate governance, and IFRS adoption as determinants of earnings management: Evidence from Indonesia

Earnings management practices revealed in companies are primarily determined by the role of management in providing the best performance reports for shareholders. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of managerial ability, independent commissioners, audit committees, quality of external auditors, and the application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on earnings management practices. The research data were retrieved from manufacturing sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2014 to 2018. These data are analyzed using a panel data regression model. The empirical findings of the study prove that managerial ability, quality of external auditors, and the application of IFRS have a positive effect on earnings management.In contrast, independent commissioners have a negative effect. The audit committee does not affect earnings management. This study also reveals that the variables of corporate governance mechanisms, which consist of independent commissioners, audit committees, and the quality of external auditors, have different effects on earnings management practices. This indicates that corporate governance principles have not been appropriately implemented in a company. The managerial ability has a dominant role in carrying out old management practices with various manipulations of financial statements.

Corporate social responsibility disclosure, CEO integrity and earnings management: Evidence from the Vietnam stock market

This paper investigates the impact of CSR disclosure and CEO integrity on earnings management. Analyzing a dataset of 750 firm-year observations of 150 Vietnam listed firms during the period from 2014 to 2018, the paper shows a significant positive effect of CSR disclosure on earnings management and a significantly negative impact on the CEO integrity on earnings management. The result confirms the previous studies that companies with more CSR disclosure are likely to engage in earnings management through increasing discretionary accruals. This suggests that managers may use CSR reporting to camouflage their earnings-management activities. Furthermore, the findings add to the literature of determinants of earnings management by offering an insight into CEO integrity and come to the proposal of enhancing the CEO role to control the earnings activities.

The effect of socioemotional wealth diversity within the top management team on earnings management in private family firms: The moderating role of the board of directors

Using a unique multiple‐respondent dataset of 218 individual managers of 37 private family firms, this study examines differences in the importance attached to socioemotional wealth (SEW) preservation among top management team (TMT) members as a determinant of earnings management. Such SEW diversity might cause conflicts that can harm TMT decision‐making quality and, ultimately, firm performance, which the TMT might cover up by engaging in earnings management. Furthermore, we examine to what extent a board of directors that functions as a sounding board is able to mitigate the relationship between SEW diversity within the TMT and earnings management.

Determinants of earnings management in Spanish SMEs and its relationship with CSR: the relevance of sector life cycle stage

PurposeThis paper addresses the link between earnings management (EM) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 317 Spanish SMEs to perform: (1) bivariate analysis between EM, CSR and some firm-factors (i.e. size, sector, sector life cycle stage, corporate age, family ownership, profitability and financial risk); and (2) multiple regression analysis for a better understanding of EM behavior and test the influence of sector life cycle stage variable.FindingsResults emphasize the relevance of the sector life cycle stage as an explanatory factor. Firms operating in sectors that are growing or declining in terms of sales are more proactive to EM than those with consolidated sales levels. Stratified regression analysis also confirms that the stage of the industry life cycle influences the EM-CSR relationship. Only for SMEs with stable sales in maturity sectors, lower interest in EM can be significantly explained by higher CSR performance. Firms with regular sales levels show a more outstanding socially responsible commitment and are less pressured to legitimize their operational decisions and therefore show lower levels of EM involvement.Originality/valueThis paper makes a twofold contribution. On the one hand, it examines the relationship between EM and CSR, focusing on SMEs' context, in which EM study could be considered incipient. On the other hand, the controversial empirical evidence on the significance and sign of EM and social responsibility link could be explained by the stage of the life cycle of the sector in which each company operates.

Financial Sustainability and Earnings Management in the Spanish Sports Federations: A Multi-Theoretical Approach

The objective of this study is to analyze, from a multi-theoretical framework, whether the managers of the Spanish National Sports Federations (NSFs) apply earnings management using accounting accruals as a measure of managerial discretion; secondly, whether these practices are associated with both the level of dependence on external resources, and the economic and financial control mechanisms exercised by the Superior Sports Council (Consejo Superior de Deportes, CSD) for the granting of public subsidies. The study provides evidence that long-term debt levels and the size of sports federations are determinants of earnings management, with a more accentuated relationship in the case of Olympic and Paralympic sports federations.

Characteristics of banks as determinants of profit management for Islamic and conventional banks in ASEAN

This study aims to analyze company characteristics as a determinant of conventional and Islamic bank earnings management in several ASEAN countries (Association of South East Asian Nations). The Multiple Discriminant Analysis was applied to determine the differences between Islamic and Conventional Banks. This test was conducted based on Capital Adequacy Ratio, Income Before Tax and Interest, Non-Performing and Changing Loans, and Company's Size in the banks of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam from 2014 to 2018. The data obtained from 200 banking entities were analyzed discriminatively. The results showed that there were simultaneous differences between Capital Adequacy Ratio, Earnings Before Tax, Loan Loss Provision, Non-Performing and Changing Loans, and Company's Size as determinants of earnings management between Islamic and conventional banks. Also, it was found that Company's Size was the dominant variable determining the management differences. Based on Discriminant Analysis, there were significant differences in the determinants of conventional and Islamic earnings management. The Changing Loan variable showed the highest contribution in determining earnings management in Islamic banks. Overall, this study found that conventional banks dominated Islamic system in practicing earnings management.

Investor sentiment and earnings management in Brazil

ABSTRACT This research analyzes whether there is a temporal association between investor sentiment and earnings management in Brazil. Several studies have investigated the determinants of earnings management, such as factors inside or external to companies and regulatory requirements, but few have considered personal factors, such as investor sentiment in Brazil. With this investigation, it was apparent from the findings that accruals quality is affected by investor sentiment. For participants in the Brazilian capital market, this research reinforces the need for a more careful analysis of the results reported by companies, since managers, in response to investor sentiment, may manage earnings to inflate accounting profit through accruals and influence the market’s ability to price shares correctly. It is evident that accounting choices are much more than just financial decisions and are subject to investor sentiments. The effect of investor sentiment should be considered among the determinants of future earnings management. A sample of non-financial Brazilian companies that traded shares on the Brasil, Bolsa, Balcão (B3) exchange from 2010 to 2016 was used. The investor sentiment index was calculated according to the methodology of Baker and Wurgler (2007). For earnings management, the models of Kang and Sivaramakrishnan (1995), Kothari, Leone, and Wasley (2005), and Dechow, Hutton, Kim, and Sloan (2012) were used. The estimates were carried out through regressions for pooled panel data, fixed, and dynamic effects using the system generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator. Discretionary accruals are positively associated with investor sentiment in the Brazilian capital market, in a similar way to markets with greater informational efficiency and notwithstanding the code-law system. Analyzing low and high sentiment periods separately, the findings suggest that managers increase accruals after high sentiment and reduce them after low sentiment.

Loan loss provisions and audit quality: Evidence from MENA Islamic and conventional banks

This paper examines the impact of audit quality on earnings management through loan loss provisions among both conventional and Islamic banks operating in MENA countries. Using the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) and Random Effects, we found that Big-4, Co-audit, audit committee size, and audit committee independence restrain earnings management practices of Islamic bank managers. In contrast, audit committee mechanisms do not influence earnings management practices in conventional banks. We also found that the extent of earnings management is lower in Islamic banks operating in countries experiencing turmoil as compared to conventional banks. Using the T-test and the Wilcoxon Signed-ranks, we found that the audit quality in conventional banks is lower compared to Islamic banks. Our findings have implications for policymakers since it helps them to enhance the regulations regarding audit quality and accounting standards. It also provides helpful insights into the determinants of earnings management in both conventional and Islamic banks operating in MENA countries.

Determinants of Earnings Management and Its Implications on the Integrity of the Financial Statements

This study aims to estimate and analyze the effect of corporate governance, audit quality, firm size, and leverage towards earnings management and its implications on the integrity of the financial statements, either partially or simultaneously. The research method used is panel data regression analysis. By using purposive sampling method, there are six companies that consistently follow corporate governance perception index (CGPI) program from 2010 to 2015 and listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange.The results show that, in the first model, CGPI partially has a significant negativeeffect,auditqualitypartiallyhasasignificantnegativeeffect,firmsizepartially has a significant negative effect, leverage partially has a significant positive effect, on earnings management. CGPI, audit quality, firm size, and leverage simultaneously have significant effect on earnings management. In the second model, CGPI partially has a significant negative effect, audit quality has a significant negative effect, firm size has a significant negative effect, leverage has a significant positive effect, on earnings management. CGPI, audit quality, firm size, leverage, and earnings management simultaneously have significant effect on the integrity of the financial statements. According to these results, the company should maintain and improve corporate governance practices, uses the auditor services that have six quality factors (competence, independence, specialization, audit tenure, peer review, and affiliation), conveypositiveinformationrelatedtothecompanyandapplylowdebtratiowithgood planning. The investor should choose to invest in the companies that implement good corporate governance, using qualified audit services, investment priorities in large companies, and companies with low leverage.

The Determinant Of Earnings Management: Size Aspect And Non-Performing Loans

The quality of financial statements must meet the qualitative characteristics as required by Financial Accounting Standards. However, the quality of financial reports that have not matched the expectations is still prevalent in Indonesia, both in public and private sector, including in Bank Perkreditan Rakyat or BPR (Rural Bank). One of the financial statements manipulations that distorts the quality of BPR financial statements is earnings management. This study aims to determine the effect of size aspect and non-performing loans (NPL) on earnings management. Size is measured by total assets, NPL is calculated by dividing non-performing loans (substandard, doubtful, and loss) on total credit, while earnings management by using Kothari's discretionary accrual model (2005). Data were obtained from BPR’s financial statements in the ex Banyumas Residency during the period of 2015-2018 in the form of quarterly financial statements. There were 182 observations being analyzed by using multiple linear regression with SPSS tool. The results of this study show that: 1) Size aspect doesn’t affect earnings management, 2). Non-performing loans ratio affects earnings management.

BOARD OF DIRECTOR’S GENDER DIVERSITY AND ITS IMPACT ON EARNINGS MANAGEMENT: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS FOR SELECT EUROPEAN FIRMS

From a corporate governance point of view, this paper addresses the question about how board gender diversity influences managerial opportunistic behavior for solving agency conflicts from a sample of European countries. Specifically, we analyzed indexed non-financial companies from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and United Kingdom for the period 2006–2016. Several panel data techniques are used in the empirical analysis to deal with the endogeneity and heterogeneity problems. To the best of our knowledge our research is novel in the literature by providing a multi-country approach in board gender diversity, as well as considering contextual country variables and the role of the regulatory system as determinants of earnings management. Our results confirm the benefits of having a balanced board in terms of gender diversity. An equilibrated board tends to mitigate earnings management practices, reinforcing the value of the laws passed in recent decades in Europe. Our analysis reveals that the regulatory framework regarding board gender diversity established by each country has a determinant role in reaching equality in decision-making positions, as a founding value of the European Union. We provide several policy recommendations from our main findings

Board of Director Gender Diversity and Its Impact on Earnings Management: An Empirical Analysis for Selected European Firms

From a corporate governance point of view, this paper addresses the question about how board gender diversity influences managerial opportunistic behavior in solving agency conflicts in a sample of European countries. Specifically, we analyzed indexed non-financial companies from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and United Kingdom for the period 2006 – 2016. Several panel data techniques are used in the empirical analysis to deal with the endogeneity and heterogeneity problems. To the best of our knowledge our research is novel in the literature by providing a multi-country approach in board gender diversity, as well as considering contextual, country variables and the role of the regulatory system as determinants of earnings management. Our results confirm the benefits of having a balanced board, in terms of gender diversity. An equilibrated board tends to mitigate earnings management practices, reinforcing the value of the laws passed in the last decades in Europe. Our analysis reveals that the regulatory framework regarding board gender diversity established by each country has a determinant role in reaching equality in decision-making positions, as a founding value of the European Union. We provide several policy recommendations from our main findings.