scholarly journals Earnings Management through Tax Reserves and Auditor-Provided Tax Services

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 217
Author(s):  
Chunlai Ye
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Income Smoothing ◽  
Earnings Forecast ◽  
Large Firms ◽  
Fin 48 ◽  
Management Incentives ◽  
Consensus Forecasts ◽  
Earnings Smoothing ◽  
Tax Reserves

This study investigates whether firms continue to use tax reserves to achieve financial reporting objectives in the post-FIN 48 period and the effect of auditor-provided tax services on earnings management through tax reserves. Three types of earnings management incentives are considered in this study: meeting or beating the consensus forecasts, income smoothing, and taking an “earnings bath.” The analyses yield evidence that only non-large firms manipulate tax reserves to meet/beat earnings forecast in the post-FIN 48 period; however, tax reserves are still utilized by both large and non-large firms to smooth earnings. Moreover, evidence is provided that the auditor who provides more tax services facilitates large firms’ earnings smoothing in the post-FIN 48 period, implying independence impairment. But this behavior does not exist within non-large firms, arguably because the auditor does not compromise independence for less important clients.

The impact of IFRS on earnings management: evidence from Mexico

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Eiler ◽  
Jose Miranda-Lopez ◽  
Isho Tama-Sweet
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Capital Market ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
The United States ◽  
Managerial Incentives ◽  
Income Smoothing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Earnings Smoothing ◽  
The Impact

PurposePrior literature investigating the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) finds that managerial incentives, capital market institutions and accounting standards interact to endogenously determine accounting outcomes. In this paper, we investigate the impact of changing from local GAAP to IFRS in 2012 on earnings management by public firms in Mexico. Given the institutional environment and managerial incentives in Mexico, there is not a clear theoretical prediction for the impact of Mexico's adoption of IFRS on earnings management. Thus, it is an empirical question whether a change in accounting standards had any effect on earnings management.Design/methodology/approachWe use three measures of earnings smoothing and one measure of upwards earnings management. Logistic regression analysis along with t-tests across two time periods, pre-IFRS (2009–2011) and post-IFRS (2013–2015) are used to determine if there is a significant change in the earnings management of Mexican firms, and if this change is different for companies cross-listed in the US and companies listed only in the Bolsa.FindingsWe hypothesize and find that adopting IFRS is associated with lower earnings management via earnings smoothing in Mexico, and the reduction is greater for firms cross-listed in the United States. Our results support the contention that strong institutions and enforcement aid in the implementation of new accounting standards.Originality/valueFirst, we contribute to the literature on the adoption of IFRS around the world. The consensus in the literature is that the impact of IFRS on financial reporting is country-specific. To our knowledge, we are the first to conduct such research on Mexico. Second, our findings indicate that IFRS adoption is associated with a reduction in earnings management through income smoothing by firms in Mexico. This contributes to a small but growing body of literature documenting consequences of improvements in Mexican capital markets. Results of research in this area provide important insights to capital market participants and regulators in Mexico.

An Overall Perspective of Income Smoothing as a Strategy of Earnings Management

2019 ◽  
pp. 53-76
Author(s):  
Cláudia Araújo Mendes ◽  
Lúcia Lima Rodrigues ◽  
Laura Parte
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Income Smoothing ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Specific Strategy ◽  
Explanatory Factors ◽  
Regulatory Bodies ◽  
Specific Factors

This chapter provides insights on earnings management (EM) explanatory factors. These factors are analyzed within the framework of a specific strategy of EM: income smoothing (IS). This strategy is often used to report earnings with an artificially reduced variability. Thereby, the purpose of the chapter is to explore the motivations, the determinants (anticipated by the positive accounting theory), and some firm-specific factors that might explain IS practices. The relevance of this chapter is justified essentially by two reasons. First, it highlights the contemporary importance of this research line. The academic community, professionals, and regulatory bodies have expressed publicly the concern about the quality of financial reporting. Consequently, a deep knowledge of the factors that possibly explain these accounting discretionary practices is crucial. Second, the extensive literature on EM also justifies this chapter. Thereby, the systematization of the literature on the IS explanatory factors can help researchers and increase future empirical research focused on this area.

The Impact on Auditor Judgments of CEO Influence on Audit Committee Independence

2011 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 129-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey R. Cohen ◽  
Lisa Milici Gaynor ◽  
Ganesh Krishnamoorthy ◽  
Arnold M. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Audit Committees ◽  
Undue Influence ◽  
Management Incentives ◽  
Auditor Judgments ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Selection Of

SUMMARY Despite the importance of audit committee independence in ensuring the integrity of the financial reporting process, recent research suggests that even when audit committees meet regulatory independence requirements, certain factors, such as undue influence by the CEO over the selection of the audit committee, may diminish the ability of its members to be substantively independent. This study investigates whether auditors consider CEO influence over audit committee independence when making audit judgments where management's incentives to manage earnings differ. In an experiment, we find that audit partners and managers waive a larger amount of a proposed audit adjustment when management's incentives for earnings management are low than when incentives are high. However, when management incentives are high, auditors are less likely to waive as much of an adjustment when the CEO has less influence over the audit committee's independence than when the CEO's influence is greater. In all, the results support our expectations that auditors consider CEO influence on audit committee independence in the resolution of contentious accounting issues. Data Availability: Contact the authors.

scholarly journals Apakah profitabiltas, risiko keuangan dan ukuran perusahaan meningkatkan praktik perataan laba perusahaan?

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erliana Banjarnahor ◽  
Khirstina Curry
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Risk ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Income Smoothing ◽  
Public Company ◽  
Earnings Smoothing

Earnings Management is the selection accounting policies by management to achieve certain goals. The usual way of management to influence the numbers on the financial statements is to make earnings management one of them with income smoothing. The purpose of this research is to test empirically the influence of profitability, financial risk, and company size to the practice of income smoothing. Population in this research is all public company year 2012-2016, while for sample of research use purposive sampling method, with secondary data. Methods of data analysis using binary logistic regression. The result obtained is profitability does not affect the income smoothing action. Financial risk does not affect earnings smoothing. Firm size affects earnings smoothing action. Positive influence means that if the size of the company the higher the company doing income smoothing.

Bank earnings management using commission and fee income

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peterson K. Ozili ◽  
Erick Outa
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Investor Protection ◽  
Income Smoothing ◽  
Real Earnings Management ◽  
Accounting Standard ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Firms ◽  
Reported Earnings ◽  
Accounting Standard Setting

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether banks use commission and fee (CF) income to manage reported earnings as an income-increasing or income smoothing strategy. Design/methodology/approach The authors employ the regression methodology to detect real earnings management. Findings The authors find that banks use CF income for income smoothing purposes and this behaviour persists during recessionary periods and in environments with stronger investor protection. The implication of the findings is that bank non-interest income which achieves diversification gains to banks is also used to manipulate reported earnings. Research limitations/implications The findings show that real earnings management is prevalent among banks in Africa. Further research into earnings management should examine real earnings management among non-financial firms in developing regions. Practical implications From an accounting standard setting perspective, the evidence suggests the need for national/international standard setters to adopt strict revenue recognition rules that ensure that banks or firms report the actual fees they make, and to discourage banks from delaying (or deferring) the collection of fee income to manage or smooth reported earnings opportunistically. Originality/value This study contributes to the positive accounting theory (PAT) literature which examines the accounting and non-accounting decisions that influence managers’ choice of accounting methods in financial reporting. Extending the PAT, the authors show that certain conditions can incentivize managers to engage in earning management such as during recessions and weak institutional quality or weak investor protection.

scholarly journals Auditor-Provided Tax Services and Accounting for Tax Uncertainty

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (03) ◽  
pp. 1950011
Author(s):  
Christoph Watrin ◽  
Stephan Burggraef ◽  
Falko Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Tax Planning ◽  
Conservative Approach ◽  
Positive Relation ◽  
Fin 48 ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards

This paper investigates the associations of auditor-provided tax services (APTS) with tax planning and audit quality using a German sample. Our findings differ from those of previous U.S. studies, which we attribute to the fact that prior to 2015, the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) did not contain a clear regulation similar to FIN 48, which requires firms to reserve for tax uncertainties. We find for our IFRS sample a negative association between APTS and tax avoidance, which suggests that auditors are aware that firms might not reserve for tax uncertainties and may advise more conservative tax strategies. Additionally, we find a positive relation between the level of APTS and the sustainability of tax strategies in client firms, consistent with this conservative approach. Furthermore, our results show that APTS are positively related to audit quality for our sample. This finding suggests that auditors, being aware of remaining tax uncertainties that are not reserved for, are more reluctant to accept earnings management, which would further increase the risk of restatement. Taken together, the results of our study suggest the importance of accounting standards regarding tax uncertainties for the implications of APTS.

IFRS and accounting quality: legal origin, regional, and disclosure impacts

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajit Dayanandan ◽  
Han Donker ◽  
Mike Ivanof ◽  
Gökhan Karahan
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Common Law ◽  
Civil Law ◽  
Discretionary Accruals ◽  
Income Smoothing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine whether the quality of financial reporting has improved after the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Europe and across the world. The study investigates the impact of IFRS on income smoothing and earnings management in different geographic regions under different legal origins and disclosure environments. Design/methodology/approach To measure income smoothing in the pre- and post-IFRS periods, the authors use the coefficient of variation and the panel unit root model proposed by Im et al. (2003) for testing whether net income is stationary throughout the sample period. The study uses a dynamic panel estimation framework, as it captures the dynamics of IFRS on discretionary accruals efficiently. Discretionary accruals are used to measure earnings management. Findings The results suggest that the adoption of high quality standards, such as IFRS, reduces income smoothing and earnings management. In addition, the study finds that earnings management has decreased in the post-IFRS period, in particular, for French and Scandinavian civil law countries, but not for German civil law countries and common law countries. The latter can be explained by the fact that common law countries have strong investor protection laws, strict law enforcement and high disclosure levels of financial information. The study also finds empirical evidence that the adoption of IFRS reduces earnings management in countries with high levels of financial disclosure. Overall, the study shows that the adoption of IFRS improved the quality of financial reporting. Originality/value This study is useful for accounting standard setters across the world, including those countries that have not yet decided to adopt IFRS. The study contributes to the literature by examining the adoption of IFRS in income smoothing and earnings management under different legal regimes and disclosure environments by using advanced empirical methodologies.

scholarly journals Firm Characteristics and Financial Reporting Quality: The Moderating Role of Malaysian Corporate Governance Index

2018 ◽  
pp. 924-932
Author(s):  
Rokiah Ishak ◽  
Noor Afza Amran ◽  
Kamarul Bahrain Abdul Manaf
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Earnings Management ◽  
Cash Flow ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Large Firms ◽  
Firm Characteristics ◽  
Big 4

The principle role of financial reporting is to provide investors with useful information for investment decision makings. In this study, we examine whether corporate governance moderates the relationship between firm characteristics and financial reporting quality. We use earnings management as measure for financial reporting quality. This study uses secondary data obtained from Thompson Database. The sample of this study is firms listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia from 2012 to 2015. The results of our study reveal that there is a positive value of abnormal cash flow which indicates that companies do practice earnings management through manipulation of cash flow from operations. Large firms are practicing earnings management. Factors such as many business segments and business complexity have encouraged large firms to manage their earnings by manipulating their cash flow from operation. In contrast, firms with high leverage and firms audited by Big 4 are less likely to involve with earnings management. Interestingly, when corporate governance index is used as moderating variable, our result shows that only firms audited by Big 4 are related to earnings management. In terms of the contribution of the study, this study is important for the development of Malaysian capital market and it help investors to better understand how the impact of corporate governance mechanisms on financial reporting quality varies across firms.

scholarly journals Bank earnings management using loan loss provisions: comparing the UK, France, South Africa and Egypt

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peterson K. Ozili
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Income Smoothing ◽  
Loan Loss ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Loan Loss Provision ◽  
The Uk

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate bank earnings management using loan loss provision. The paper examines income smoothing, which is a type of earnings management. It compares the income smoothing behaviour of banks in the UK, France, South Africa and Egypt.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses the panel fixed effect regression methodology to analyse bank income smoothing.FindingsThe findings show that bank income smoothing is present in the UK and Egypt and absent in France and South Africa. Banks in Egypt used LLPs to smooth income before the global financial crisis. Meanwhile, bank income smoothing is pronounced in France during and after the financial crisis but was absent in the pre-crisis period. Also, bank income smoothing is reduced in countries that (1) have strict banking supervision, (2) adopt common law particularly the United Kingdom, and by countries that adopt civil law, particularly France and Egypt. Bank earnings management is greater in countries that (3) adopt a mixed legal system, particularly South Africa, and in countries that adopt International Financial Reporting Standards accounting standards.Research limitations/implicationsThe implication of the findings is that country differences may affect banks' incentive to smooth income using loan loss provision.Originality/valueThe novelty of this paper is that it explicitly analyses specific countries that have different supervisory regimes, different structure and accounting rules.

scholarly journals DID IFRS REPORTING BY UK FIRMS REDUCE EARNINGS MANAGEMENT?

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 488-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Medhat Naguib El Guindy
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Earnings Quality ◽  
Management Incentives ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Benchmark Tests ◽  
Mandatory Adoption ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Big Four

This paper investigates the effect of reporting under International Financial Reporting Standards (hereafter IFRS) versus reporting under UK GAAP on earnings management in the UK. Prior studies find mixed evidence regarding the effect of voluntary and mandatory adoption of IFRS on earnings quality. I test whether the effect of reporting under IFRS on earnings management is sufficient to overcome earnings management incentives. Furthermore, I test whether the effect of IFRS reporting is conditional on audit quality surrogated by audit firm size. I build the analysis on measures of discretionary accruals and earnings benchmark tests. I find evidence that reporting under IFRS generally reduces levels of earnings management and furthermore, the mitigating effect of IFRS is stronger for income decreasing than for income increasing earnings management. In addition, I find that audit quality plays a key role in IFRS reporting, with only firms audited by big four auditors having a significant IFRS reporting effect.

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