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CEO equity compensation and earnings management: The role of growth opportunities

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  • Li, Leon
  • Kuo, Chii-Shyan

Abstract

Prior research has documented a positive association between chief executive officer (CEO) equity incentives and earnings management. We identify a firm's growth opportunity proxied by Book-to-Market ratio as an organizational environmental factor and use the panel threshold model to examine whether firm growth opportunity variable moderates this positive relation. Our results show that, for firms with relatively low growth potential, equity incentives motivate managers to manipulate earnings. However, as firm growth opportunities reach certain thresholds, equity pay can effectively mitigate the agency issue associated with earnings management. Finally, we find that our results still hold and become even more pronounced for the financial crisis period.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Leon & Kuo, Chii-Shyan, 2017. "CEO equity compensation and earnings management: The role of growth opportunities," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 289-295.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:20:y:2017:i:c:p:289-295
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2016.10.013
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Wil Martens & Prem W. S. Yapa & Maryam Safari, 2020. "The Impact of Financial Statement Comparability on Earnings Management: Evidence from Frontier Markets," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-25, November.
    2. Li, Xia & Gupta, Jairaj & Bu, Ziwen & Kannothra, Chacko George, 2023. "Effect of cash flow risk on corporate failures, and the moderating role of earnings management and abnormal compensation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    3. Tunyi, Abongeh A. & Agyei-Boapeah, Henry & Areneke, Geofry & Agyemang, Jacob, 2019. "Internal capabilities, national governance and performance in African firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 18-37.
    4. Khenissi, Mohamed & Jahmane, Abderrahman & Hofaidhllaoui, Mahrane, 2022. "Does the introduction of CSR criteria into CEO incentive pay reduce their earnings management? The case of companies listed in the SBF 120," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    5. Song, Bomi & Chung, Heesun & Kim, Bum-Joon & Sonu, Catherine Heyjung, 2023. "Do business trainings for audit committees matter in organizations? Focusing on earnings management," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    6. Ma, Guangyuan & Wang, Yihong & Xu, Yekun & Zhang, Limin, 2023. "The breadth of ownership and corporate earnings management," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    7. Chaigneau, Pierre, 2018. "The optimal timing of CEO compensation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 90-94.
    8. Chen, Clara Chia Sheng & Chou, Yan-Yu & Wei, Peihwang, 2020. "Country factors in earnings management of ADR firms," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    9. Emmanuel Mensah & Peter Ackah & Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al-Faryan, 2024. "Firms growth opportunities and accruals earnings management nexus: does corporate and national governance systems play a role?," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(10), pages 1-41, October.
    10. Chen, Xiaoqi & Torsin, Wouter & Zhang, Dayong, 2022. "The Anglo-Saxon premium in foreign CEO compensation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Panel threshold model; Earnings management; Discretionary accruals; Executive compensation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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