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Book-tax conformity and earnings management in response to tax rate cuts

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  • Sundvik, Dennis

Abstract

This study explores the link between earnings management and jurisdictional differences in book-tax conformity. A dataset of national reforms lowering the corporate tax rate is used to estimate the effect of conformity on private firm’s earnings management behavior when a specific incentive to manage earnings downward exists. Total and discretionary accruals are used to measure earnings management and a continuous measure is used to assess the level of book-tax conformity. Results suggest that changes in the statutory tax rate affect firms in jurisdictions with high book-tax conformity more than firms in jurisdictions with less book-tax conformity. However, more overall earnings management is attributed to firms in low conformity jurisdictions. These findings contribute to the ongoing debate on the appropriate level of book-tax conformity.

Suggested Citation

  • Sundvik, Dennis, 2017. "Book-tax conformity and earnings management in response to tax rate cuts," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 31-42.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jiaata:v:28:y:2017:i:c:p:31-42
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intaccaudtax.2016.12.003
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    Cited by:

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    5. Eichfelder, Sebastian & Kluska, Mike & Knaisch, Jonas & Selle, Juliane, 2021. "Senkung der Unternehmenssteuerlast versus Förderung von Investitionen: Was ist die bessere Strategie zur Förderung der Standortattraktivität Deutschlands?," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 266, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    6. Francisco J. Delgado & Elena Fernández-Rodríguez & Roberto García-Fernández & Manuel Landajo & Antonio Martínez-Arias, 2023. "Tax avoidance and earnings management: a neural network approach for the largest European economies," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 9(1), pages 1-25, December.
    7. Pais, Cláudio & Dias, Cláudia Afecto, 2022. "The implications of book-tax conformity and tax change for the earnings management of Portuguese micro firms," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    8. In Tae Hwang & Kang Sung Hur & Sun Min Kang, 2018. "Does the IFRS Effect Continue? An International Comparison," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-20, December.
    9. Yang, Jingwen & Hemmings, Danial & Jaafar, Aziz & Jackson, Richard H.G., 2022. "The real earnings management gap between private and public firms: Evidence from Europe," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    10. Zhang, Yuyang & Uchida, Konari & Dong, Liping, 2020. "External financing and earnings management: Evidence from international data," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    11. Haga, Jesper & Höglund, Henrik & Sundvik, Dennis, 2019. "Cost behavior around corporate tax rate cuts," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 1-11.
    12. Eichfelder, Sebastian & Kluska, Mike & Knaisch, Jonas & Selle, Juliane, 2021. "Senkung der Unternehmenssteuerlast versus Förderung von Investitionen: Was ist die bessere Strategie zur Förderung der Standortattraktivität Deutschlands?," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 263, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    13. Nguyet T. M. Nguyen & Abdullah Iqbal & Radha K. Shiwakoti, 2022. "The context of earnings management and its ability to predict future stock returns," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 123-169, July.
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    16. Marques, Mário & Pinho, Carlos & Montenegro, Tânia Menezes, 2019. "The effect of international income shifting on the link between real investment and corporate taxation," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 1-1.

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