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Internal control weaknesses and evidence of real activities manipulation

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  • Lenard, Mary Jane
  • Petruska, Karin A.
  • Alam, Pervaiz
  • Yu, Bing

Abstract

We examine whether US public firms that file internal control weakness (ICW) disclosure reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as part of the reporting requirements under Section 404 of the Sarbanes–Oxley (SOX) Act, exhibit higher levels of real activities manipulation (RM), compared to firms that do not file such reports. Using firm-level data for the post-SOX period, 2004–2010, we find a positive relationship between firms reporting internal control weaknesses and real activities manipulation. Further, those ICW-firms that use RM to beat earnings benchmarks have lower performance in the subsequent year. Our results also show that firms do not use discretionary accruals as a substitute for RM when they report internal control weaknesses. Overall, our findings suggest that ICW-firms are prone to using real activities manipulation as a form of earnings management. Our findings also have implications for audit quality as auditors need to gain a better understanding of how real activities manipulation influences the operations of the firm.

Suggested Citation

  • Lenard, Mary Jane & Petruska, Karin A. & Alam, Pervaiz & Yu, Bing, 2016. "Internal control weaknesses and evidence of real activities manipulation," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 47-58.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:advacc:v:33:y:2016:i:c:p:47-58
    DOI: 10.1016/j.adiac.2016.04.008
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    2. Wang, Teng-Shih & Lin, Yi-Mien & Werner, Edward M. & Chang, Hsihui, 2018. "The relationship between external financing activities and earnings management: Evidence from enterprise risk management," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 312-329.
    3. Du, Shuili & Xu, Xiaolu & Yu, Kun, 2020. "Does corporate social responsibility affect auditor-client contracting? Evidence from auditor selection and audit fees," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    4. Bhuiyan, Md. Borhan Uddin & Rahman, Asheq & Sultana, Nigar, 2020. "Female tainted directors, financial reporting quality and audit fees," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(2).
    5. Li, Yuanhui & Li, Xiao & Xiang, Erwei & Geri Djajadikerta, Hadrian, 2020. "Financial distress, internal control, and earnings management: Evidence from China," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(3).
    6. Oliver Henk, 2020. "Internal control through the lens of institutional work: a systematic literature review," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 239-273, September.
    7. Bagheri, Oveis & Ranjbaran Jalili, Mona, 2020. "Accruals Quality and Bankruptcy in Shirata Model (Case Study: Tehran Stock Exchange)," Journal of Money and Economy, Monetary and Banking Research Institute, Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, vol. 15(4), pages 381-402, October.
    8. Bolton, Brian & Lian, Qin & Rupley, Kathleen & Zhao, Jing, 2016. "Industry contagion effects of internal control material weakness disclosures," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 27-40.
    9. Kuo, Ya-Fen & Lin, Yi-Mien & Chien, Hsiu-Fang, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility, enterprise risk management, and real earnings management: Evidence from managerial confidence," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    10. Chalmers, Keryn & Hay, David & Khlif, Hichem, 2019. "Internal control in accounting research: A review," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 80-103.
    11. Ji, Xu-dong & Lu, Wei & Qu, Wen, 2018. "Internal control risk and audit fees: Evidence from China," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 266-287.
    12. Hart, Matthew, 2018. "How informative is qualitative management earnings guidance?," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 59-73.

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