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Do firms manipulate earnings after winning public-private partnership bids? Evidence from China

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  • Majeed, Muhammad Ansar
  • Yan, Chao
  • Zhong, Huijie

Abstract

We examine whether firms manipulate their reported earnings after winning investment project bids. China's adoption of the public-private partnership (PPP) provides a unique setting for our analysis. Using the PPP announcements to identify the firms participating in PPP projects, we find that firms conduct both accrual-based and real earnings management after PPP participation. Our findings survive difference-in-differences design with different matching methods. We document that PPP-participating firms have strong incentives to manipulate earnings because of abnormal administrative expenditure and greater short-term performance pressure than non-PPP-participating firms. The auditors respond by charging higher audit fees due to the increased risk. Moreover, government subsidies relieve performance pressure and decrease the likelihood of earnings management among PPP-participating firms. Overall, this study documents the unintended consequences of PPP participation.

Suggested Citation

  • Majeed, Muhammad Ansar & Yan, Chao & Zhong, Huijie, 2022. "Do firms manipulate earnings after winning public-private partnership bids? Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(PB).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ememar:v:51:y:2022:i:pb:s1566014121000881
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ememar.2021.100880
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corporate investment; Public-private partnership (PPP); Earnings management; Firm performance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • H54 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Infrastructures

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