scholarly journals The Quality of Accruals and Earnings: The Role of Accrual Estimation Errors

2002 ◽  
Vol 77 (s-1) ◽  
pp. 35-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia M. Dechow ◽  
Ilia D. Dichev
Keyword(s):  
Estimation Error ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Empirical Measure ◽  
Earnings Persistence ◽  
Working Capital ◽  
Estimation Errors ◽  
Accrual Quality ◽  
Flows Over Time

This paper suggests a new measure of one aspect of the quality of working capital accruals and earnings. One role of accruals is to shift or adjust the recognition of cash flows over time so that the adjusted numbers (earnings) better measure firm performance. However, accruals require assumptions and estimates of future cash flows. We argue that the quality of accruals and earnings is decreasing in the magnitude of estimation error in accruals. We derive an empirical measure of accrual quality as the residuals from firm-specific regressions of changes in working capital on past, present, and future operating cash flows. We document that observable firm characteristics can be used as instruments for accrual quality (e.g., volatility of accruals and volatility of earnings). Finally, we show that our measure of accrual quality is positively related to earnings persistence.

scholarly journals Simulation evidence on the properties of alternative measures of working capital accruals

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 378-394
Author(s):  
Javad Izadi Zadeh Darjezi ◽  
Homagni Choudhury ◽  
Alireza Nazarian
Keyword(s):  
Cash Flow ◽  
Estimation Error ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Working Capital ◽  
Accrual Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Uk

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the specification and power of tests based on the DD and modified DD model through the UK data between years 2000 and 2013, and make comparisons with tests using working capital accruals creating a measure of accruals quality as the standard deviation of the residuals value from firm-specific regressions base on working capital accruals on last, current and one-year-ahead cash flows from operations. Design/methodology/approach This study focuses both on the DD model and modified DD model to find out which of them can more accurately capture total working capital accrual estimation error and accrual quality. According to the DD model, the past, current and future net cash from operating activities as the three years’ operating cash inflows or outflows become omitted and correlated variables. In this study, the authors continue to document residuals from the DD and MDD models to demonstrate properties that are more consistent with behaviours of accruals estimation errors. Therefore, in this study, the authors are looking to compare the results from both the MDD and DD models and find which one of them is more effective in explaining the working capital accruals in the UK. Findings The authors find that adding additional explanatory variables may add additional explanatory power of variables to the DD model and extent to which accruals map into cash flow insights based on the UK data. This study is empirically well fitting with the internal workings of cash flows. As investors fixate only on the accounting earnings, they may fail to reflect fully on information contained within cash flow components and working capital accruals of current and future earnings. Originality/value The authors compare different equation to cover more items of working capital accruals. In addition, after examining earnings and accrual quality, the findings show that the average UK company behaviour was quite similar to the behaviour that was founded earlier for both models in the USA. Furthermore, this study results show that more volatility of sales, cash flow, accruals and earnings make a lower accrual quality. The results demonstrate that both models can capture the power to predict working capital accruals. Moreover, we find that adding additional explanatory variable of employee growth rate adds additional explanatory variables to DD model.

Discussion of the Quality of Accruals and Earnings: The Role of Accrual Estimation Errors

2002 ◽  
Vol 77 (s-1) ◽  
pp. 61-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maureen F. McNichols
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Error ◽  
Earnings Management ◽  
Earnings Quality ◽  
Discretionary Accruals ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Estimation Errors ◽  
Empirical Estimates

Dechow and Dichev (2002) model earnings quality as the magnitude of estimation errors in accruals, and provide empirical estimates of this construct based on the relation between accruals and cash flows. I characterize the innovation and limitations in this approach, and provide empirical evidence of measurement error in their empirical specification. I also adapt their model to assess the specification of the Jones' (1991) model and document that this model provides estimates of discretionary accruals that are significantly associated with cash flows, which are likely to be substantially nondiscretionary. I conclude with suggestions for future research on earnings quality and earnings management.

scholarly journals The role of accrual estimation errors to determine accrual and earnings quality

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javad Izadi Zadeh Darjezi
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Cash Flow ◽  
Earnings Quality ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Working Capital ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Significant Information ◽  
Accrual Quality ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Managers, investors and security analysts all pay special attention to the bottom line of income statements and they miss significant information included in accruals about the quality of earnings. A considerable portion of the earnings-quality literature examines the possibility of using the accruals to shift reported income among fiscal periods. One of the main roles of working-capital accruals is to adjust the recognition of cash flows. This paper aims to focus on earnings quality by examining the working-capital accruals quality using the method of Dechow and Dichev (2002). Design/methodology/approach Following the Dechow and Dichev (2002) model, the result of this paper shows that accrual quality is related to the absolute magnitude of accruals negatively. Also, the standard deviation of accruals, cash flows, sales and earnings is positively related to firm size. The result demonstrates and suggests that these observable firm characteristics can be used as instruments for measuring accrual quality. According to this framework, the author expects that the larger the unsigned abnormal accrual measure, the lower the earnings quality. Therefore, firms with low accrual quality have more accruals that are unrelated to cash flow realisations and so have more noise and less persistence in their earnings. Findings After examining earnings and accrual quality, this paper finds that average UK company behaviour was quite similar to the behaviour found earlier in the USA. This paper’s findings show that greater volatility of sales, cash flow, accruals and earnings results in a lower accrual quality. Without a doubt, some of the analysis in this paper, especially that using different equations to calculate working-capital accruals, leads us to a valuable improvement of the earlier studies. Originality/value In this paper, the author follows the method of Dechow and Dichev (2002) and define accrual quality as the extent to which accruals map into cash-flow insights based on the UK data. To find the quality of working-capital accruals, the author uses the standard deviation of the residuals as accrual quality that resulted from the author’s firm-specific OLS regressions of working-capital accruals based on last, current and one-year-ahead operating cash flow. Unlike prior research, to avoid a restriction to working-capital accruals, we use different equations to cover more items of working-capital accruals.

scholarly journals Individual Time Preferences and Energy Efficiency

2015 ◽  
Vol 105 (5) ◽  
pp. 196-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard G. Newell ◽  
Juha Siikamäki
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Policy Evaluation ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Time Preferences ◽  
Discount Rates ◽  
Product Choices ◽  
Key Driver ◽  
Flows Over Time ◽  
Efficiency Gap

We examine the role of individual discount rates in energy efficiency decisions using evidence from an extensive survey of US homeowners to elicit preferences for energy efficiency and cash flows over time. We find considerable heterogeneity in individual discount rates. We also find that individual time preferences systematically influence willingness to invest in energy efficiency, as measured through product choices, required payback periods, and energy efficiency tax credit claims. Education is a key driver of individual discount rates. Our findings highlight the importance of individual discount rates to understanding energy efficiency investments, the energy-efficiency gap, and policy evaluation.

scholarly journals The Relation between Income Smoothing, Earnings Persistence and IFRS Adoption

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 251
Author(s):  
Ana Carolina Kolozsvari ◽  
Marcelo Alvaro Da Silva Macedo
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Income Smoothing ◽  
Earnings Persistence ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Ifrs Adoption

This research approaches the influence of smoothing on persistence, two time-series properties of the same earnings stream, considering the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), in Brazil. This influence is interesting from the possibility of the disclosure to inform stability to influence the information quality for valuation. The objective was to investigate whether the IFRS adoption modified the smoothing-persistence relation. We inserted dummies in autoregressive models, to identify the influence of smoothing on persistence regarding different accounting environments. The findings show that (i) the IFRS adoption increased the quality of earnings; (ii) the IFRS shifted the role of smoothing, that previously increased and then decreased the persistence; and (iii) the smoothing suppressed the benefits for information quality brought by IFRS adoption. We conclude that IFRS increased the informational level of earnings, evidencing that interferences to mitigate impacts on reported income ceased to increase and started to decrease its usefulness.

Do PCAOB Inspections Improve Working Capital Accrual Reliability? Evidence from the PCAOB Annual versus Triennial Inspection Exposure

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheol Lee ◽  
Jong Eun Lee ◽  
Myung Seok Park
Keyword(s):  
Cash Flow ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Earnings Persistence ◽  
Working Capital ◽  
Improve Working ◽  
Future Earnings ◽  
Public Company ◽  
Jel Classifications ◽  
Better Than

SYNOPSIS In this study, we examine whether the ability of working capital (WC) accruals to predict future earnings and cash flows differs between registrants whose auditors are subject to annual Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) inspections and those whose auditors are subject to triennial PCAOB inspections. We find that WC accruals of clients audited by auditors subject to annual PCAOB inspections enhance earnings persistence more and map into future cash flow realizations better than those audited by auditors subject to triennial PCAOB inspections. These findings are stronger for operating asset accruals than for operating liability accruals. Furthermore, after PCAOB inspection reports are released, improvements in WC accrual reliability are more evident for clients audited by annually inspected auditors than for clients audited by triennially inspected auditors. Overall, our findings suggest that more frequent PCAOB inspections help to improve WC accrual reliability. JEL Classifications: M41; M42; M48. Data Availability: The data are publicly available from the sources identified in the paper.

scholarly journals The Role of Financial Reporting Quality in Accessing to Financial Debt: Evidence From Italy

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 278
Author(s):  
Andrea Rey ◽  
Giovanni Landi
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Financial Institution ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Accounting Quality ◽  
Accrual Quality

This paper aims to assess whether financial reporting quality affect the access of Italian Non-SME firms to financial debt. In order to measure the financial reporting quality, we assume as proxy the accrual quality. We carried out a regression analysis, using financial statement data of firms sampled. The results reveal a positive association between financial reporting quality and the access to bank and financial institution debt. In addition, our findings also show no association between financial debt maturity and the accounting quality of firms.

The Persistence and Pricing of Earnings, Accruals, and Cash Flows When Firms Have Large Book-Tax Differences

2005 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Hanlon
Keyword(s):  
Cash Flows ◽  
Earnings Persistence ◽  
Taxable Income ◽  
Future Earnings ◽  
Special Items ◽  
Potential Sources ◽  
Red Flag

I investigate the role of book-tax differences in indicating the persistence of earnings, accruals, and cash flows for one-period-ahead earnings. I also examine whether the level of book-tax differences influences investors' assessments of future earnings persistence. I find that firm-years with large book-tax differences have earnings that are less persistent than firm-years with small book-tax differences. Further, the evidence is consistent with investors interpreting large positive book-tax differences (book income greater than taxable income) as a “red flag” and reducing their expectation of future earnings persistence for these firm-years. I then investigate potential sources of the lower persistence for firm-years with large book-tax differences. I find that special items contribute in part to the results but that firm-years with large booktax differences continue to have lower persistence in earnings after controlling for the effect of the special items.

scholarly journals PERANAN PENGAWASAN DAN PENYELAMATAN KREDIT DALAM MEMINIMALKAN KEMUNGKINAN GAGAL BAYAR PADA PENYELESAIAN KREDIT MODAL KERJA (STUDI KASUS PADA PT BPR EKA BUMI ARTHA METRO)

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-161
Author(s):  
Herni Kurniawati ◽  
Nedi Hendri ◽  
Elmira Febri Darmayanti
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Data ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Working Capital ◽  
Credit Quality ◽  
Maximum Extent ◽  
Control Section ◽  
Descriptive Method ◽  
Qualitative Data Collection

The purpose of this study was to find out how the role of supervision and credit rescue in minimizing the possibility of default on the completion of working capital loans at PT BPR Eka Bumi Artha Metro. The method in this studyis descriptive qualitative. Data collection techniques used are observation, interview, documentation. Theanalytical tool used is descriptive method. The results of this study indicate that the credit control section hasperformed its role to the maximum extent possible, but the risk of external factors cannot be avoided.Whereas the credit rescue department has carried out its role to the maximum extent possible in returning nonperforming loans by way of negotiating settlement or by selling voluntary collateral assets, thereby reducing therate of increase in NPLs so that credit quality is maintained. This can be seen from the good credit quality in 2013and 2014, namely the NPL is 1% below the maximum limit of 5% in accordance with Bank Indonesia regulations.Furthermore in 2015NPL increased by 5% from the previous year, which is 9% which means that it is above 4%of the maximum credit limit. And in 2016 and 2017 NPL decreased by 1% from the previous year, which is to 8%,which means above 3% the maximum credit limit. The credit supervision and rescue team has sought to reduce therate of increase in NPLs so that credit quality is maintained. This has been provenbecause in 2016 and 2017the quality of NPLs decreased 1% from the previous year which experienced a 5% increase in NPLs.

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