IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i13p5747-d1429666.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Financial Sustainability and Corporate Credit Risk: Moderating Role of Earnings Management

Author

Listed:
  • Aifang Xin

    (School of Business Administration, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China)

  • Muqaddas Khalid

    (Department of Management Sciences, Lahore Garrison University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Shoaib Nisar

    (Department of Management Sciences, Lahore Garrison University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Iqra Riaz

    (Department of Management Sciences, Lahore Garrison University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

Abstract

Many industries put on a show of sustainability to draw in investors even though they are not financially viable. This study examines how real-earnings management (REM) moderates the relationship between credit risk (CR) and financial sustainability (FS). Real earnings management (REM) uses three techniques to measure earnings management: cash flow, overproduction, and discretionary spending. The distance-to-default approach of the KMV model, as an inverse proxy, is used in the current study to enumerate CR. Panel data of non-financial listed companies from 2013 to 2021 is used in this study. This study used PROCESS macro to construct bootstrap confidence intervals to estimate the model and “simple slope analysis” to visualize the model. The findings demonstrate a significant negative relationship between credit risk and financial sustainability. Real earnings management as a moderator weakens the relationship between financial sustainability and credit risk. This study aids investors in integrating sustainability into their investment process and helps them make wise choices. In addition, the results of this study might assist managers in adjusting cash flow patterns, real earnings management practices, and financial sustainability to reduce credit risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Aifang Xin & Muqaddas Khalid & Shoaib Nisar & Iqra Riaz, 2024. "Financial Sustainability and Corporate Credit Risk: Moderating Role of Earnings Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-22, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5747-:d:1429666
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5747/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5747/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Burgstahler & Michael Eames, 2006. "Management of Earnings and Analysts' Forecasts to Achieve Zero and Small Positive Earnings Surprises," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5-6), pages 633-652.
    2. Dechow, Patricia M. & Sloan, Richard G., 1991. "Executive incentives and the horizon problem : An empirical investigation," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 51-89, March.
    3. Eunho Cho & Sungbin Chun, 2016. "Corporate social responsibility, real activities earnings management, and corporate governance: evidence from Korea," Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(4), pages 400-431, October.
    4. Merton, Robert C, 1974. "On the Pricing of Corporate Debt: The Risk Structure of Interest Rates," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 29(2), pages 449-470, May.
    5. Matthias Fleckenstein & Francis A Longstaff, 2022. "The Market Risk Premium for Unsecured Consumer Credit Risk," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 35(10), pages 4756-4801.
    6. Graham, John R. & Harvey, Campbell R. & Rajgopal, Shiva, 2005. "The economic implications of corporate financial reporting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(1-3), pages 3-73, December.
    7. Roychowdhury, Sugata, 2006. "Earnings management through real activities manipulation," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 335-370, December.
    8. Don Herrmann & Tatsuo Inoue & Wayne B. Thomas, 2003. "The Sale of Assets to Manage Earnings in Japan," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(1), pages 89-108, March.
    9. Daniel A. Bens & Venky Nagar & M. H. Franco Wong, 2002. "Real Investment Implications of Employee Stock Option Exercises," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 359-393, May.
    10. Mitchell A. Petersen & Raghuram G. Rajan, 1995. "The Effect of Credit Market Competition on Lending Relationships," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 110(2), pages 407-443.
    11. Ali, Ashiq & Zhang, Weining, 2015. "CEO tenure and earnings management," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 60-79.
    12. Chau Duong & Gioia Pescetto, 2019. "Overvaluation and earnings management: Does the degree of overvaluation matter?," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(2), pages 121-146, February.
    13. Beatriz Garcia Osma & Steven Young, 2009. "R&D Expenditure and Earnings Targets," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 7-32.
    14. Katherine A. Gunny, 2010. "The Relation Between Earnings Management Using Real Activities Manipulation and Future Performance: Evidence from Meeting Earnings Benchmarks," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(3), pages 855-888, September.
    15. Cristhian Mellado & Paolo Saona, 2020. "Real earnings management and corporate governance: a study of Latin America," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(1), pages 2229-2268, January.
    16. Patricia M. Dechow & Richard G. Sloan & Amy P. Sweeney, 1996. "Causes and Consequences of Earnings Manipulation: An Analysis of Firms Subject to Enforcement Actions by the SEC," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(1), pages 1-36, March.
    17. Jones, Jj, 1991. "Earnings Management During Import Relief Investigations," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 193-228.
    18. David Burgstahler & Michael Eames, 2006. "Management of Earnings and Analysts' Forecasts to Achieve Zero and Small Positive Earnings Surprises," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5‐6), pages 633-652, June.
    19. Bens, Daniel A. & Nagar, Venky & Skinner, Douglas J. & Wong, M. H. Franco, 2003. "Employee stock options, EPS dilution, and stock repurchases," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(1-3), pages 51-90, December.
    20. Beatriz Garcia Osma, 2008. "Board Independence and Real Earnings Management: The Case of R&D Expenditure," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(2), pages 116-131, March.
    21. Pi‐Hui Ting & Hsien‐yu Yin, 2018. "How do corporate social responsibility activities affect performance? The role of excess control right," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(6), pages 1320-1331, November.
    22. Duan, Jin-Chuan & Van Laere, Elisabeth, 2012. "A public good approach to credit ratings – From concept to reality," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(12), pages 3239-3247.
    23. Collins, Daniel W. & Hribar, Paul, 2000. "Earnings-based and accrual-based market anomalies: one effect or two?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 101-123, February.
    24. Sadaf Ehsan & Adeel Tariq & Mian Sajid Nazir & Malik Shahzad Shabbir & Rizwan Shabbir & Lydia Bares Lopez & Wasim Ullah, 2022. "Nexus between corporate social responsibility and earnings management: Sustainable or opportunistic," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(2), pages 478-495, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Griffin, Paul A. & Hong, Hyun A. & Liu, Yun & Ryou, Ji Woo, 2021. "The dark side of CEO social capital: Evidence from real earnings management and future operating performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Julia Sawicki & Keshab Shrestha, 2014. "Misvaluation and Insider Trading Incentives for Accrual-based and Real Earnings Management," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(7-8), pages 926-949, September.
    3. Glegg, Charmaine & Harris, Oneil & Ngo, Thanh & Susnjara, Jurica, 2021. "Having the government as a client: Does this reduce earnings management of the firm?," Journal of Government and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 4(C).
    4. Zhang, Yiyang & Perols, Johan & Robinson, Dahlia & Smith, Thomas, 2018. "Earnings management strategies to maintain a string of meeting or beating analyst expectations," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 46-55.
    5. Brandon Julio & Youngsuk Yook, 2016. "Earnings Management and Corporate Investment Decisions," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2016-086, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    6. Campa, Domenico, 2019. "Earnings management strategies during financial difficulties: A comparison between listed and unlisted French companies," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 457-471.
    7. Campa, Domenico & Camacho-Miñano, María-del-Mar, 2015. "The impact of SME’s pre-bankruptcy financial distress on earnings management tools," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 222-234.
    8. Nagar, Neerav & Sen, Kaustav, 2016. "Earnings Management Strategies during Financial Distress," IIMA Working Papers WP2016-02-03, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    9. Al Mabsali, Yousuf Khamis & Hayward, Robert & Eliwa, Yasser, 2021. "Managerial tools used to meet or beat analyst forecasts: Evidence from the UK," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    10. Roychowdhury, Sugata, 2006. "Earnings management through real activities manipulation," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 335-370, December.
    11. Martin Nienhaus, 2022. "Executive equity incentives and opportunistic manager behavior: new evidence from a quasi-natural experiment," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 1276-1318, December.
    12. Tahinakis, Panayiotis D., 2014. "R&D expenditures and earnings management: Evidence from Eurozone countries in crisis," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 11(C), pages 104-119.
    13. Nitai Chandra Debnath & Suman Paul Chowdhury & Safaeduzzaman Khan, 2022. "The impact of audit quality on real earnings management: evidence from Bangladesh," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(2), pages 218-231, June.
    14. Ke Zhong & Robert B. Welker & Donald W. Gribbin, 2010. "Method‐Shifting in Aggressive Earnings Reporting: The Case of the US Software Industry's Response to New US Regulation," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(7‐8), pages 792-814, July.
    15. Ioannis Dokas & Christos Leontidis & Nicolaos Eriotis & Konstantinos Hazakis, 2021. "Earnings Management. An overview of the relative literature," Bulletin of Applied Economics, Risk Market Journals, vol. 8(2), pages 25-55.
    16. 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.
    17. Imran S. Currim & Jooseop Lim & Yu Zhang, 2018. "Effect of analysts’ earnings pressure on marketing spending and stock market performance," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 431-452, May.
    18. Daniel Cohen & Shailendra Pandit & Charles E. Wasley & Tzachi Zach, 2020. "Measuring Real Activity Management†," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(2), pages 1172-1198, June.
    19. Pappas, Kostas & Walsh, Eamonn & Xu, Alice Liang, 2019. "Real earnings management and loan contract terms," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(4), pages 373-401.
    20. Xia, Hui & Lin, Shu & Li, Shuo & Bardhan, Indranil, 2024. "The effect of audit committee financial expertise on earnings management tactics in the post-SOX era," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5747-:d:1429666. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.