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Debt, diversification and earnings management

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  • Rodríguez-Pérez, Gonzalo
  • van Hemmen, Stefan

Abstract

In this article we use panel-estimation techniques to calculate discretionary accruals (DAC) and to produce a better understanding of the nature of the relation between debt and earnings management. Consistent with the transparency hypothesis (which suggests that diversification increases the complexity of firms' activities and reduces their transparency to outsiders), we find that for less-diversified (more transparent) firms, debt reduces positive discretionary accruals, whereas in relatively more-diversified (less transparent) firms the impact of debt becomes positive. Our paper shows that marginal increases in debt provide the incentives for managers to manipulate earnings, and diversification provides the needed context for this accounting practice to be possible. We have also found that only in the sub-sample of aggressive firms, those that manage discretionary accruals with enough magnitude to increase income, do lenders exert their control. Some firms, however, take advantage of diversification to avoid this control. Our findings are robust to several earnings-management measures and methodologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodríguez-Pérez, Gonzalo & van Hemmen, Stefan, 2010. "Debt, diversification and earnings management," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 138-159, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jappol:v:29:y::i:2:p:138-159
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    Cited by:

    1. Tran, Dung Viet & Hassan, M. Kabir & Houston, Reza, 2019. "Activity strategies, information asymmetry, and bank opacity," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 160-172.
    2. Rilo Pramudito & Siti Nuryanah, 2023. "The Effect of Diversification Strategy on Corporate Tax Aggressiveness With Board Effectiveness as the Moderating Variable," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, July.
    3. Daniela Pordea & Dorel Mates, 2019. "DETERMINANTS OF ACCOUNTING CREATIVITY: EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS ON ROMANIAN SMEs IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY," Oradea Journal of Business and Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 4(Special), pages 7-18, May.
    4. Persakis, Anthony & Iatridis, George Emmanuel, 2015. "Cost of capital, audit and earnings quality under financial crisis: A global empirical investigation," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 3-24.
    5. Ammar Hussain & Minhas Akbar & Muhammad Kaleem Khan & Ahsan Akbar & Mirela Panait & Marian Catalin Voica, 2020. "When Does Earnings Management Matter? Evidence across the Corporate Life Cycle for Non-Financial Chinese Listed Companies," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Pelucio-Grecco, Marta Cristina & Geron, Cecília Moraes Santostaso & Grecco, Gerson Begas & Lima, João Paulo Cavalcante, 2014. "The effect of IFRS on earnings management in Brazilian non-financial public companies," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 42-66.
    7. Ali Meftah Gerged & Khaldoon Albitar & Lara Al‐Haddad, 2023. "Corporate environmental disclosure and earnings management—The moderating role of corporate governance structures," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(3), pages 2789-2810, July.
    8. Pavol Durana & Katarina Valaskova & Darina Chlebikova & Vladislav Krastev & Irina Atanasova, 2020. "Heads and Tails of Earnings Management: Quantitative Analysis in Emerging Countries," Risks, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-20, June.
    9. Vo, Nguyen Ngoc Thao & Nguyen, Thai Vu Hong & Phan, Duc Hong Thi, 2022. "Earnings management and bank risk-taking behavior in Asia-Pacific region," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    10. Marta Cristina Pelucio Grecco, 2013. "The Effect of Brazilian convergence to IFRS on earnings managment by listed Brazilian nonfinancial companies," Brazilian Business Review, Fucape Business School, vol. 10(4), pages 110-132, October.
    11. Manh Dung Tran & Ngoc Hung Dang, 2021. "The Impact of Ownership Structure on Earnings Management: The Case of Vietnam," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, September.
    12. Fakhroddin MohammadRezaei & Omid Faraji & Zabihollah Rezaee & Reza Gholami-Jamkarani & Mehdi Yari, 2024. "Substantive or symbolic compliance with regulation, audit fees and audit quality," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(1), pages 32-51, March.
    13. Vasilescu, Camelia & Millo, Yuval, 2016. "Do industrial and geographic diversifications have different effects on earnings management? Evidence from UK mergers and acquisitions," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 33-45.
    14. Berrill, Jenny & Campa, Domenico & O'Hagan-Luff, Martha, 2021. "Firm diversification and earnings management strategies: European evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    15. Imen Khanchel El Mehdi & Souad Seboui, 2011. "Corporate diversification and earnings management," Review of Accounting and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(2), pages 176-196, May.
    16. Persakis, Anthony & Iatridis, George Emmanuel, 2017. "The joint effect of investor protection, IFRS and earnings quality on cost of capital: An international study," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 1-29.
    17. Wei Cao & Martina Linnenluecke & Jinfang Tian & Rui Xue & Huan Yang, 2023. "How does investor attention affect energy firms' managerial opportunistic behavior? New evidence from China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 5025-5043, November.
    18. Pavlopoulos, Athanasios & Magnis, Chris & Iatridis, George Emmanuel, 2017. "Integrated reporting: Is it the last piece of the accounting disclosure puzzle?," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 23-46.
    19. Viana, Jr., Dante Baiardo C. & Lourenço, Isabel & Black, Ervin L. & Martins, Orleans Silva, 2023. "Macroeconomic instability, institutions, and earnings management: An analysis in developed and emerging market countries," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    20. Sri Murni & Rahmawati Rahmawati & Ari Kuncara Widagdo & Eko Arief Sudaryono & Doddy Setiawan, 2023. "Effect of Family Control on Earnings Management: The Role of Leverage," Risks, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-15, January.
    21. Isaac Selasi Awuye & François Aubert, 2022. "The impact of leverage on earnings management and the trade-off between discretionary accruals and real earnings management," Post-Print hal-03824383, HAL.
    22. Xiaojun Chu & Nianrong Sui, 2023. "Does Weather-Related Disaster Affect the Financing Costs of Enterprises? Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies in the Mining Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-14, January.
    23. MohammadRezaei, Fakhroddin & Mohd-Saleh, Norman & Ahmed, Kamran, 2018. "Audit Firm Ranking, Audit Quality and Audit Fees: Examining Conflicting Price Discrimination Views," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 295-313.
    24. Lartey, Theophilus & James, Gregory A. & Danso, Albert & Boateng, Agyenim, 2022. "Bank business models, failure risk and earnings opacity: A short- versus long-term perspective," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    25. Thanh, Su Dinh & Canh, Nguyen Phuc & Ha, Nguyen Tran Thai, 2020. "Debt structure and earnings management: A non-linear analysis from an emerging economy," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).

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