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Discretionary accruals: signalling or earnings management in Australia?

Author

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  • Hai Yen Pham
  • Richard Yiu‐Ming Chung
  • Eduardo Roca
  • Ben‐Hsien Bao

Abstract

We investigate the signalling effect of discretionary accruals (DAC). Although we find that discretionary accruals are insignificantly related to contemporaneous stock returns, we uncover that income‐increasing discretionary accruals of GAAP‐complying growth firms are significantly and positively related to contemporaneous stock returns. Furthermore, we find that this positive effect is stronger among firms with better corporate governance mechanisms, such as Board of Directors Independence, Audit Committee Independence and Large Shareholders’ Ownership. In addition to contemporaneous stock returns, we also find similar results with the future increase in dividends. Our findings are consistent with the argument that corporate governance can enhance the signalling effect of reported earnings of GAAP‐complying growth firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Hai Yen Pham & Richard Yiu‐Ming Chung & Eduardo Roca & Ben‐Hsien Bao, 2019. "Discretionary accruals: signalling or earnings management in Australia?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(2), pages 1383-1413, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:59:y:2019:i:2:p:1383-1413
    DOI: 10.1111/acfi.12275
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    Cited by:

    1. Yasmin Jamadar & Tze San Ong & Asna Atqa Abdullah & Fakarudin Kamarudin, 2022. "Earnings and discretionary accruals," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(2), pages 431-439, March.
    2. Saoussen Boujelben & Hela Khemakhem-Feki & Ahmad Alqatan, 2020. "Real earnings management and the relevance of operating cash flows: A study of french listed firms," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(4), pages 218-229, December.
    3. Emmanuel Mensah & Christopher Boachie, 2023. "Corporate governance mechanisms and earnings management: The moderating role of female directors," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 2167290-216, December.
    4. Xin Yao Li & Pei-Wen Chen, 2020. "Meeting Dividend Thresholds Through Earnings Management of Listed Companies in South Africa," Advances in Management and Applied Economics, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 10(6), pages 1-5.
    5. Zhi Wang & Geert Braam & Daniel Reimsbach & Jiaxin Wang, 2020. "Political embeddedness and firms’ choices of earnings management strategies in China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(5), pages 4723-4755, December.
    6. Grzybek, Olga, 2023. "Are accounting choices for intangible assets informative or opportunistic? Evidence from Poland," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    7. Jacobo Gomez-Conde & Ernesto Lopez-Valeiras & Fabricia Silva Rosa & Rogério João Lunkes, 2023. "The effect of management control systems in managing the unknown: Does the market appreciate the breadth of vision?," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(8), pages 2769-2795, November.
    8. Krivogorsky, Victoria & Mintchik, Natalia & Alon, Anna, 2023. "Accounting research in former Soviet bloc countries: Past trends and current and future developments," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    9. Mihai Carp & Leontina Păvăloaia & Constantin Toma & Iuliana Eugenia Georgescu & Mihai-Bogdan Afrăsinei, 2020. "Companies’ Sustainable Growth, Accounting Quality, and Investments Performances. The Case of the Romanian Capital Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-16, November.

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