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Non-GAAP earnings and stock price crash risk

Author

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  • Hsu, Charles
  • Wang, Rencheng
  • Whipple, Benjamin C.

Abstract

We investigate whether non-GAAP earnings disclosures increase stock price crash risk. Consistent with non-GAAP disclosures allowing managers to inflate investors’ perceptions about firm performance, our results indicate that income increasing non-GAAP reporting increases crash risk. We also find that managers can use non-GAAP reporting as a substitute for earnings management to withhold bad news from investors (the traditional explanation for crashes). Finally, we find a positive association between non-GAAP reporting and the likelihood of subsequent events that can trigger a crash. Overall, our evidence is consistent with some non-GAAP disclosures exposing investors to risks of large and sudden price declines.

Suggested Citation

  • Hsu, Charles & Wang, Rencheng & Whipple, Benjamin C., 2022. "Non-GAAP earnings and stock price crash risk," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jaecon:v:73:y:2022:i:2:s0165410121000884
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jacceco.2021.101473
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    3. Benkraiem, Ramzi & Goutte, Stéphane & Saadi, Samir & Zhu, Hui & Zhu, Steven, 2022. "Investor heterogeneity and negative skewness in stock returns: Evidence from institutional investors," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Non-GAAP earnings; Stock price crash risk; Disclosure; Regulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G17 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Financial Forecasting and Simulation
    • G18 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

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