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Gauging the effects of stock liquidity on earnings management: Evidence from the SEC tick size pilot test

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  • Li, Dan
  • Xia, Ying

Abstract

This paper studies whether stock market liquidity has a causal effect on real earnings management. We introduce a new and cleaner identification of liquidity shock - the 2016 Tick Size Pilot Program - to show that firms with less liquid stocks are more likely to engage in real earnings management. We provide direct evidence that stock liquidity helps to deter real earnings management via enhancing governance by long-term institutional investors through trading and direct intervention, and via facilitating short selling to discipline managers. The effect is stronger in firms that do not pay dividends.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Dan & Xia, Ying, 2021. "Gauging the effects of stock liquidity on earnings management: Evidence from the SEC tick size pilot test," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:67:y:2021:i:c:s0929119921000250
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2021.101904
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    Cited by:

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    2. Maruyama, Hiroyuki & Tabata, Tomoaki, 2022. "Timing of tick size reduction: Threshold and smooth transition model analysis," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    3. Comporek Michal, 2023. "Earnings quality among high-share liquidity companies: evidence from Central and Eastern European firms," International Journal of Management and Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of World Economy, vol. 59(4), pages 315-332, December.
    4. Liu, Benjamin & Johl, Shireenjit & Lasantha, Ruwan, 2023. "ESG scores and cash holdings: The role of disciplinary trading," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    5. Hao, (Grace) Qing & Li, Keming, 2022. "Options trading and earnings management: Evidence from the penny pilot program," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    6. Ee, Mong Shan & Hasan, Iftekhar & Huang, He, 2022. "Stock liquidity and corporate labor investment," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    7. Deng, Mengdie & Lin, Tse-Chun & Zhou, Jiayu, 2024. "Does better liquidity for large orders attract institutional investors and analysts? Evidence from the Tick Size Pilot Program," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    8. Szymon Stereńczak, 2021. "Minimum tick size reduction and stock liquidity: lessons from the Warsaw Stock Exchange," Bank i Kredyt, Narodowy Bank Polski, vol. 52(6), pages 545-576.
    9. Zhang, Liguang & Li, Zhuohao & Liao, Yunxiang & Wang, Yunchen & Hu, Ning, 2023. "Foreign investment and information quality – A quasi-experiment from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).

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