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Large shareholders and the pressure to manage earnings

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  • Guthrie, Katherine
  • Sokolowsky, Jan

Abstract

We present empirical evidence that firms inflate earnings around seasoned equity offerings in the presence of large outsider blockholdings, but not in their absence. The finding is robust to several alternative explanations, including differences in firm characteristics, growth, performance, CEO incentives, and capital usage. While we do not dispute that CEOs behave opportunistically, we challenge that earnings management is solely a symptom of weak governance. We conclude that strengthening shareholder power to alleviate the conflict between shareholders and management can also have the unintended consequence of intensifying the conflict between current and future shareholders.

Suggested Citation

  • Guthrie, Katherine & Sokolowsky, Jan, 2010. "Large shareholders and the pressure to manage earnings," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 302-319, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:16:y:2010:i:3:p:302-319
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    2. Souha Bouaziz Siala & Anis Jarboui, 2019. "The moderating effect of audit quality on the relation between shareholder activism and earnings management: Evidence from France," Contemporary Economics, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw., vol. 13(1), March.
    3. Boulifa, Hichem & Uchida, Konari, 2024. "Do share offerings increase payouts?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    4. Florackis, Chris & Sainani, Sushil, 2021. "Can CFOs resist undue pressure from CEOs to manage earnings?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    5. Katherine Guthrie & Illoong Kwon & Jan Sokolowsky, 2017. "What Does CEOs’ Pay-for-Performance Reveal About Shareholders’ Attitude Toward Earnings Overstatements?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 146(2), pages 419-450, December.
    6. Cao, Feng & Peng, Songlan (Stella) & Ye, Kangtao, 2019. "Multiple large shareholders and corporate social responsibility reporting," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 287-309.
    7. Filip, Andrei & Huang, Zhongwei & Lui, Daphne, 2020. "Cross-listing and corporate malfeasance: Evidence from P-chip firms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    8. Al Mabsali, Yousuf Khamis & Hayward, Robert & Eliwa, Yasser, 2021. "Managerial tools used to meet or beat analyst forecasts: Evidence from the UK," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    9. Chang, Liang & Tan, Na & Zhang, Xinyue & Yuan, Yiyun, 2023. "Does peer firms’ tone affect corporate investment? Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    10. Pelucio-Grecco, Marta Cristina & Geron, Cecília Moraes Santostaso & Grecco, Gerson Begas & Lima, João Paulo Cavalcante, 2014. "The effect of IFRS on earnings management in Brazilian non-financial public companies," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 42-66.
    11. Ali Meftah Gerged & Khaldoon Albitar & Lara Al‐Haddad, 2023. "Corporate environmental disclosure and earnings management—The moderating role of corporate governance structures," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(3), pages 2789-2810, July.
    12. Yves Mard & Sylvain Marsat, 2012. "Earnings management and ownership structure: Evidence from France [Gestion des résultats comptables et structure de l'actionnariat : le cas français]," Post-Print hal-02156592, HAL.
    13. Lyu, Yanying, 2024. "Essays in behavioral and empirical corporate finance," Other publications TiSEM a636d1ce-f80d-4aa1-9b28-0, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    14. Chen, Haiwei & Jory, Surendranath & Ngo, Thanh, 2020. "Earnings management under different ownership and corporate governance structure: A natural experiment with master limited partnerships," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 139-156.
    15. Marta Cristina Pelucio Grecco, 2013. "The Effect of Brazilian convergence to IFRS on earnings managment by listed Brazilian nonfinancial companies," Brazilian Business Review, Fucape Business School, vol. 10(4), pages 110-132, October.
    16. Clayton, Matthew J. & Jorgensen, Bjorn N., 2011. "Corporate equity ownership, investment, and product market relationships," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 1377-1388.
    17. Gupta, Parul & Chauhan, Sumedha, 2023. "Dynamics of corporate governance mechanisms - family firms’ performance relationship- a meta-analytic review," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    18. Rongli Yuan & Yadong Han & Zhanliao Chen, 2023. "Multiple Large Shareholders and Financial Reporting Quality: Evidence from China," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 59(1), pages 197-229, March.
    19. Rezvan Pourmansouri & Amir Mehdiabadi & Vahid Shahabi & Cristi Spulbar & Ramona Birau, 2022. "An Investigation of the Link between Major Shareholders’ Behavior and Corporate Governance Performance before and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of the Companies Listed on the Iranian Stock," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-30, April.
    20. Won-Yong Oh & Young Kyun Chang & Zheng Cheng, 2016. "When CEO Career Horizon Problems Matter for Corporate Social Responsibility: The Moderating Roles of Industry-Level Discretion and Blockholder Ownership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(2), pages 279-291, January.
    21. Mohamed Khalil & Aydin Ozkan, 2016. "Board Independence, Audit Quality and Earnings Management: Evidence from Egypt," Journal of Emerging Market Finance, Institute for Financial Management and Research, vol. 15(1), pages 84-118, April.
    22. Wang, Liang & Qi, Jiahan & Zhuang, Hongyu, 2023. "Monitoring or Collusion? Multiple Large Shareholders and Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    23. Dai, Lili & Dharwadkar, Ravi & Shi, Linna & Zhang, Bohui, 2017. "The governance transfer of blockholders: Evidence from block acquisitions and earnings management around the world," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 586-607.
    24. Mauricio Jara-Bertin & Jean P. Sepulveda, 2014. "Earnings Management and Performance in Family-Controlled Firms:Evidence from an Emerging Economy," Serie Working Papers 01, Universidad del Desarrollo, School of Business and Economics, revised Nov 2014.
    25. Yves Mard & Sylvain Marsat, 2011. "Gestion des résultats comptables et structure de l'actionnariat : le cas français," Post-Print hal-00650550, HAL.

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