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The effect of corporate governance on earnings management around UK rights issues

Author

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  • Abdullah Iqbal
  • Norman Strong

Abstract

Purpose - This paper aims to investigate the relation between corporate governance and earnings management around UK rights issues. Design/methodology/approach - The paper examines the effect of board structure, ownership structure, adviser structure, and capital structure on discretionary current accruals – a proxy for earnings management – for a sample of size‐controlled rights issuers. Rights issues are chosen as a context in which firms have particular incentives to manage earnings. Findings - The results suggest that firms with higher debt to equity ratios, with lower proportions of non‐executive directors, or with no large block owner, are more likely to use discretionary current accruals to manipulate earnings around rights issues. Research limitations/implications - Similar research can be conducted around other equity issuing methods such as open offers and around other major corporate events such as initial public offerings. Practical implications - The paper's evidence contributes to an understanding of corporate governance and has practical implications for stakeholders. It suggests that investors can rely more on the financial disclosures of firms with lower debt to equity ratios, higher proportions of outside directors, and with a large blockholder. Regulators may propose that firms undertaking corporate events such as equity offerings should follow best corporate governance practices to enhance investor confidence. Originality/value - This study is the first to investigate the corporate governance mechanisms in place to check opportunistic earnings management around specific corporate events for the UK market.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdullah Iqbal & Norman Strong, 2010. "The effect of corporate governance on earnings management around UK rights issues," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 6(3), pages 168-189, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:ijmfpp:v:6:y:2010:i:3:p:168-189
    DOI: 10.1108/17439131011056215
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Nguyet T. M. Nguyen & Abdullah Iqbal & Radha K. Shiwakoti, 2022. "The context of earnings management and its ability to predict future stock returns," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 123-169, July.
    3. Fatima Abdul Hamid & Chaabane Oussama Houssem Eddine & Abdullah Mohamed Ayedh & Abdelghani Echchabi, 2014. "Firms' Financial And Corporate Governance Characteristics Association With Earning Management Practices: A Meta-Analysis Approach," Economic Review: Journal of Economics and Business, University of Tuzla, Faculty of Economics, vol. 12(2), pages 49-72.
    4. Tri Tri Nguyen & Chau Minh Duong & Sunitha Narendran, 2021. "CEO profile and earnings quality," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 987-1025, April.
    5. Tahir, Muhammad & Ibrahim, Salma & Nurullah, Mohamed, 2019. "Getting compensation right - The choice of performance measures in CEO bonus contracts and earnings management," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 148-169.
    6. Abdelsalam, Omneya & Dimitropoulos, Panagiotis & Elnahass, Marwa & Leventis, Stergios, 2016. "Earnings management behaviors under different monitoring mechanisms: The case of Islamic and conventional banks," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 132(S), pages 155-173.

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