IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/vrs/subboe/v70y2025i2p65-78n1004.html

Accounting Conservatism and Corporate Performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Benaziza Khadidja

    (University of 20 August 1955-Skikda, Algeria)

  • Kimouche Bilal

    (University of 20 August 1955-Skikda, Algeria)

Abstract

This paper examines the extent to which Algerian companies practised accounting conservatism during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether this practice impacted their performance. The study included 323 observations across 65 non-financial Algerian companies from 2018 to 2022. Accounting conservatism was measured by negative (non-operating) accounting accruals, and corporate performance was measured by the return on equity. The COVID-19 pandemic period was introduced as an interactive dummy variable. The results showed increased levels of accounting conservatism during the pandemic, which negatively affected corporate performance. Additionally, leverage had a negative impact on performance during the same period, while company size had a positive effect on financial performance. Therefore, the study recommends adopting flexible accounting policies that allow adaptation to economic changes without significant impacts on performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Benaziza Khadidja & Kimouche Bilal, 2025. "Accounting Conservatism and Corporate Performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Oeconomica, Sciendo, vol. 70(2), pages 65-78.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:subboe:v:70:y:2025:i:2:p:65-78:n:1004
    DOI: 10.2478/subboec-2025-0010
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2478/subboec-2025-0010
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2478/subboec-2025-0010?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Karthik Balakrishnan & Ross Watts & Luo Zuo, 2016. "The Effect of Accounting Conservatism on Corporate Investment during the Global Financial Crisis," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(5-6), pages 513-542, May.
    2. Norfazella Mohd Fariz & Nor Farizal Mohammed & Nur Syifa Zulkepli & Amrizah Kamaluddin, 2020. "Accounting Conservatism and Financial Performance: Accountability of Shariah Compliant Companies in Malaysia," Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, Conscientia Beam, vol. 8(3), pages 280-297.
    3. Norfazella Mohd Fariz & Nor Farizal Mohammed & Nur Syifa Zulkepli & Amrizah Kamaluddin, 2020. "Accounting Conservatism and Financial Performance: Accountability of Shariah Compliant Companies in Malaysia," Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, Conscientia Beam, vol. 8(3), pages 280-297.
    4. repec:eme:jal000:j.acclit.2015.02.001 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Li Cui & Pamela Kent & Sujin Kim & Shan Li, 2021. "Accounting conservatism and firm performance during the COVID‐19 pandemic," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(4), pages 5543-5579, December.
    6. Ruch, George W. & Taylor, Gary, 2015. "Accounting conservatism: A review of the literature," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 17-38.
    7. Laith Akram Al-Qudah & Hanan Ahmad Qudah & Aiman Mahmoud Abu Hamour & Yazan Abu Huson & Mohammad Zakaria Al Qudah, 2022. "The effects of COVID-19 on conditional accounting conservatism in developing countries: evidence from Jordan," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 2152156-215, December.
    8. George W. Ruch & Gary Taylor, 2015. "Accounting conservatism: A review of the literature," Journal of Accounting Literature, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 34(1), pages 17-38, February.
    9. Fuad Suleiman Al-Fasfus & Abdulwahhab Mahmoud Al-Rawashdeh & Ziyad Abdulhaleem Al-Theebeh & Hasan Abdulnasser Mohamad Al-Enabi, 2022. "The Impact of Accounting Conservatism on Financial Performance in Services Companies Listed on Amman Stock Exchange," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 11, July.
    10. Givoly, Dan & Hayn, Carla, 2000. "The changing time-series properties of earnings, cash flows and accruals: Has financial reporting become more conservative?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 287-320, June.
    11. Lang, Mark & Maffett, Mark, 2011. "Transparency and liquidity uncertainty in crisis periods," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 101-125.
    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. Akram Khalilov, 2026. "Informational and cushioning properties of conservative balance sheets: a study of crises resilience," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 66(1), pages 313-357, January.
    2. Evans Adu & Abhijit Barua, 2025. "Income Adjustments and Firm Performance During Economic Downturns: Systemic Versus Opportunistic Conservatism," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 65(3), pages 2821-2841, September.
    3. Anagnostopoulou, Seraina C. & Tsekrekos, Andrianos E. & Voulgaris, Georgios, 2021. "Accounting conservatism and corporate social responsibility," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(4).
    4. Johnathon Cziffra & Steve Fortin & Zvi Singer, 2023. "Differences in government accounting conservatism across jurisdictions, their determinants, and consequences: the case of Canada and the United States," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 1035-1073, June.
    5. Li Cui & Pamela Kent & Sujin Kim & Shan Li, 2021. "Accounting conservatism and firm performance during the COVID‐19 pandemic," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(4), pages 5543-5579, December.
    6. Chloe Yu-Hsuan Wu & Shou-Min Tsao & Che-Hung Lin, 2025. "Accounting conservatism, corporate diversification and firm value," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 64(1), pages 371-415, January.
    7. Li, Keming & Nishikawa, Takeshi & Rao, Ramesh P., 2025. "Does the threat of short selling discipline management? Evidence from default risk changes around regulation SHO," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    8. Davor Vasicek & Josip Cicak, 2019. "Back To The Core: Alternative Performance Measurement," UTMS Journal of Economics, University of Tourism and Management, Skopje, Macedonia, vol. 10(2), pages 237-247.
    9. Robert Kieschnick & Wenyun Shi, 2021. "Nonstationarity in the relationship between corporate governance and accounting conservatism," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(3-4), pages 463-497, March.
    10. Čičak Josip & Vašiček Davor, 2019. "Determining the Level of Accounting Conservatism through the Fuzzy Logic System," Business Systems Research, Sciendo, vol. 10(1), pages 88-101, April.
    11. Henry Jarva & Matthijs Lof, 2024. "Identifying accounting conservatism in the presence of skewness," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 553-577, February.
    12. Krishnan, Gopal V. & Zhang, Jing, 2022. "Principles-based standards and conditional accounting conservatism," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    13. Robert Ullmann & Sophia Wörle, 2025. "Strategic management of tax disclosure: asymmetric timeliness of tax footnote modifications," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 19(8), pages 2327-2372, August.
    14. Liu, Sun & Zhang, Jie, 2023. "Conditional conservatism and investment efficiency under a state ownership environment: Further evidence from China," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    15. Kannan, Yezen & Khallaf, Ashraf & Gleason, Kimberly & Bostan, Ibrahim, 2023. "The relationship between R&D intensity, conservatism, and management earnings forecast issuance," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    16. Maysa Ali M. Abdallah, 2025. "Ethical leadership, managerial risk-based incentives, and accounting conservatism: a comparative evidence from Egypt and Saudi Arabia," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    17. Renhui Fu & Fang Gao & Yanhui Wang, 2025. "The impact of bond market liberalization on accounting conservatism," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 403-432, February.
    18. Marisetty, Vijaya B. & Kommatt, Athira, 2025. "Board gender diversity and accounting conservatism," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 104(PA).
    19. Amneh Hamad* & Mohammad AL-Momani & Hamzah Al-Mawali, 2019. "Does Accounting Conservatism Mitigate the Operating Cash Flows Downside Risk?," The Journal of Social Sciences Research, Academic Research Publishing Group, vol. 5(2), pages 472-483, 02-2019.
    20. Feng, Yuruo & Hao, Wei & Fang, Jiali & Wongchoti, Udomsak, 2024. "In the radiance of enlightenment: The influence of nontheistic religions on corporate default risk," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • G01 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Financial Crises
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • L31 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Nonprofit Institutions; NGOs; Social Entrepreneurship
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:vrs:subboe:v:70:y:2025:i:2:p:65-78:n:1004. 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: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://reference-global.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.