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Real activities manipulation and firm valuation

Author

Listed:
  • Cristhian Mellado-Cid

    (Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción)

  • Surendranath R. Jory

    (University of Southampton)

  • Thanh N. Ngo

    (East Carolina University)

Abstract

In this paper, we study the link between real earnings management and firm value. Consistent with prior studies, we expect the ability of a firm to generate future cash flows to be significantly impaired by its use of real activities manipulations. Using a cross-section of companies from the Standard & Poor’s Compustat database from 1990 to 2013, we find that firms with higher real earnings management are associated with lower industry-adjusted Tobin’s Q and firm-specific misvaluation measure. Our results are consistent under several regression techniques addressing potential endogeneity issues and alternative proxies for real earnings management after controlling for known factors to affect firm market values.

Suggested Citation

  • Cristhian Mellado-Cid & Surendranath R. Jory & Thanh N. Ngo, 2018. "Real activities manipulation and firm valuation," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 50(4), pages 1201-1226, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:rqfnac:v:50:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1007_s11156-017-0659-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11156-017-0659-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Haiwei & Jory, Surendranath & Ngo, Thanh, 2020. "Earnings management under different ownership and corporate governance structure: A natural experiment with master limited partnerships," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 139-156.
    2. Chih-Yang Tseng, 2020. "Family firms and long-term orientation of SG&A expenditures," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 1181-1206, November.
    3. Beckmann, Klaus S. & Escobari, Diego A. & Ngo, Thanh, 2019. "The real earnings management of cross-listing firms," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 128-145.
    4. Mary S. Hill & Gary K. Taylor, 2023. "Default risk and earnings expectations: The role of contract maturity in the credit default swap market," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(4), pages 4275-4298, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Earnings management; Real activities manipulation; Real earnings management; Mispricing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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