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Earnings Quality and Ownership Structure: The Role of Private Equity Sponsors

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  • Sharon Katz

Abstract

This study explores how firms' ownership structures affect their earnings quality and long-term performance. Focusing on a unique sample of private firms for which there is financial data available in the years before and after their initial public offering (IPO), I differentiate between those that have private equity sponsorship (PE-backed firms) and those that do not (non-PE-backed firms). The findings indicate that PE-backed firms generally have higher earnings quality than those that do not have PE sponsorship, engage less in earnings management and report more conservatively both before and after the IPO. Further, PE-backed firms that are majority-owned by PE sponsors exhibit superior long-term stock price performance after they go public. These results stem from the professional ownership, tighter monitoring, and reputational considerations exhibited by PE sponsors.

Suggested Citation

  • Sharon Katz, 2008. "Earnings Quality and Ownership Structure: The Role of Private Equity Sponsors," NBER Working Papers 14085, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:14085
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    Cited by:

    1. Associate Prof. Renato Giovannini & Associate Prof. Vincenzo Capizzi & Associate Prof. Gian Marco Chiesi, 2010. "Investment Banking Services: Ownership Structures, Financial Advisory and Corporate Governance Models," International Journal of Business Administration, International Journal of Business Administration, Sciedu Press, vol. 1(1), pages 49-63, November.
    2. Woei-Chyuan Wong & Seow-Eng Ong & Joseph Ooi, 2013. "Sponsor Backing in Asian REIT IPOs," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 299-320, February.
    3. Norbäck, Pehr-Johan & Persson, Lars & Tåg, Joacim, 2018. "Does the debt tax shield distort ownership efficiency?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 299-310.
    4. Sjögren, Anna, 2010. "Graded Children – Evidence of Longrun Consequences of School Grades from a Nationwide Reform," Working Paper Series 839, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    5. Luiz Egydio Malamud Rossi & Roy Martelanc, 2013. "An analysis of the management practices of Brazilian private equity firms and their impact on company performance," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(2), pages 151-172, April.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G0 - Financial Economics - - General
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance
    • M1 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

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