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Credit Ratings and Taxes: The Effect of Book–Tax Differences on Ratings Changes

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  • BENJAMIN C. AYERS
  • STACIE KELLEY LAPLANTE
  • SEAN T. MCGUIRE

Abstract

This paper examines whether credit analysts utilize the information contained in the difference between book and taxable income in analyzing a firm’s credit risk. Increased book–tax differences may be informative for credit rating agencies as they may signal decreased earnings quality or changes in the firm’s off–balance sheet financing. Results suggest a significant negative association between positive changes in book–tax differences and ratings changes. This evidence is consistent with large positive changes in book–tax differences signaling decreased earnings quality and/or increased off–balance sheet financing. We also find that large negative changes in book–tax differences result in less favorable rating changes, consistent with these changes signaling decreased earnings quality. In additional analyses, we find that the association between changes in book–tax differences and rating changes is attenuated for high–tax†planning firms (e.g., where book–tax differences more likely reflect tax planning than decreased earnings quality).

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin C. Ayers & Stacie Kelley Laplante & Sean T. Mcguire, 2010. "Credit Ratings and Taxes: The Effect of Book–Tax Differences on Ratings Changes," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 343-343, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:coacre:v:27:y:2010:i:2:p:343-343
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1911-3846.2010.01023_1.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Moore, Jared A. & Xu, Li, 2018. "Book-tax differences and costs of private debt," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 70-82.
    2. Kovermann, Jost & Velte, Patrick, 2019. "The impact of corporate governance on corporate tax avoidance—A literature review," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 1-1.
    3. Hao, Yamin & Li, Shuo, 2021. "Does firm visibility matter to debtholders? Evidence from credit ratings," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    4. Bhandari, Avishek & Golden, Joanna, 2021. "CEO political preference and credit ratings," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    5. Paul Demeré, 2023. "Is tax return information useful to equity investors?," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 1413-1465, September.
    6. Habib, Ahsan & Ranasinghe, Dinithi, 2022. "Asset redeployability and credit ratings," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    7. Chen, Wanyi & Jin, Rong, 2023. "Does tax uncertainty affect firm innovation speed?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    8. Lampenius, Niklas & Shevlin, Terry & Stenzel, Arthur, 2021. "Measuring corporate tax rate and tax base avoidance of U.S. Domestic and U.S. multinational firms," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(1).
    9. Lee, Sang Mook & Jiraporn, Pornsit & Kim, Young Sang & Park, Keun Jae, 2021. "Do co-opted directors influence corporate risk-taking and credit ratings?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 330-344.
    10. Beladi, Hamid & Chao, Chi Chur & Hu, May, 2018. "Does tax avoidance behavior affect bank loan contracts for Chinese listed firms?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 104-116.
    11. Michael Neel & Irfan Safdar, 2024. "Financial statement relevance, representational faithfulness, and comparability," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 62(1), pages 309-339, January.
    12. Audrey Hsu & Cheng-Few Lee & Sophia Liu, 2022. "Book-tax differences, CEO overconfidence, and bank loan contracting," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 437-472, February.
    13. Dhawan, Anirudh & Ma, Liangbo & Kim, Maria H., 2020. "Effect of corporate tax avoidance activities on firm bankruptcy risk," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(2).
    14. Fan, Rui & Pan, Jianping & Wang, Jenny Jing & Yu, Minggui, 2023. "Do government provided credit ratings enhance or impede a firm's access to trade credit?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    15. Rakia Riguen & Anis Jarboui, 2016. "Divergences comptabilité-fiscalité et Qualité de l'audit externe : Cas de la Tunisie," Post-Print hal-01901210, HAL.
    16. Hasan, Iftekhar & Wu, Qiang & Zhang, Hao & Hoi, Chun-Keung (Stan), 2014. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder: The effect of corporate tax avoidance on the cost of bank loans," Bank of Finland Research Discussion Papers 3/2014, Bank of Finland.
    17. Park, June Woo & Nam, Giseok & Tsang, Albert & Lee, Yung-Jae, 2022. "Firstborn CEOs and credit ratings," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(4).

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