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When and why do IPO firms manage earnings?

Author

Listed:
  • Ewa Sletten

    (Boston College)

  • Yonca Ertimur

    (University of Colorado at Boulder)

  • Jayanthi Sunder

    (University of Arizona)

  • Joseph Weber

    (Sloan School of Management, MIT)

Abstract

There is significant disagreement about whether, when, and why IPO firms manage earnings. We precisely identify the timing and motives behind earnings management by IPO firms. The period around an IPO is characterized by two events: the IPO itself and the lockup expiration. Both the raising of capital at the IPO and the exit by pre-IPO shareholders at lockup expiration create incentives for firms to manage earnings. To disentangle the effect of these events, we examine quarterly, rather than annual, abnormal accruals. We find no evidence of income-increasing earnings management before the IPO. However, IPO firms exhibit positive abnormal accruals in the quarter before and the quarter of the lockup expiration. Positive abnormal accruals are concentrated in less scrutinized firms and firms with high selling by pre-IPO shareholders. Moreover, we find that these accruals subsequently reverse and that such reversals contribute to long-run IPO underperformance.

Suggested Citation

  • Ewa Sletten & Yonca Ertimur & Jayanthi Sunder & Joseph Weber, 2018. "When and why do IPO firms manage earnings?," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 872-906, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:reaccs:v:23:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s11142-018-9445-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11142-018-9445-3
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    Cited by:

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    2. Gao, Shenghao & Liu, Jinzhao & Zhang, Qi & Zhou, Jun, 2023. "Stock hyping before auction-style SEOs: Are primary market investors misled?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 123-140.
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    4. Gounopoulos, Dimitrios & Loukopoulos, Georgios & Loukopoulos, Panagiotis & Zhang, Yu, 2024. "Do CFO career concerns matter? Evidence from IPO financial reporting outcomes," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    5. Sahil Narang & Rudra P. Pradhan, 2021. "IPO lock-up: a review and assessment," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 48(3), pages 343-369, September.
    6. Xiaotao (Kelvin) Liu & Biyu Wu, 2021. "Do IPO Firms Misclassify Expenses? Implications for IPO Price Formation and Post-IPO Stock Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(7), pages 4505-4531, July.
    7. Jerry W. Chen & Eunice S. Khoo & Zihang Peng, 2023. "Climate change disclosure and the information environment in the initial public offering market," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(S1), pages 907-952, April.
    8. Tsai-Yin Lin & Jerry Yu & Chia-Yi Lin, 2021. "IPO’s Long-Run Performance: Hot Market versus Earnings Management," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-16, March.
    9. Mi, Biao & Zhang, Luqiao & Han, Liang & Shen, Yun, 2024. "Bank market power and financial reporting quality," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    10. Shrikant P. Jategaonkar & Linda M. Lovata & Xiaoxiao Song, 2023. "Growth opportunities and earnings management by cross-listed and U.S. firms," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 47(1), pages 157-183, March.
    11. Matthias Breuer & Harm H. Schütt, 2023. "Accounting for uncertainty: an application of Bayesian methods to accruals models," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 726-768, June.
    12. Jaewoo Kim & Seyoung Park & Kyle Peterson & Ryan Wilson, 2022. "Not Ready for Prime Time: Financial Reporting Quality After SPAC Mergers," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(9), pages 7054-7064, September.
    13. Salim Chahine & Gonul Colak & Iftekhar Hasan & Mohamad Mazboudi, 2020. "Investor relations and IPO performance," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 474-512, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    IPO lockup; Earnings management;

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance
    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • 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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