IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jadmsc/v13y2023i2p48-d1060191.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Do Taxes Still Affect Earning Persistence?

Author

Listed:
  • Ângela Pereira

    (Accounting/ISCAP/Polytechnic of Porto, 4465-004 Matosinhos, Portugal)

  • Cláudia Pereira

    (Accounting/CEOS.PP/ISCAP/Polytechnic of Porto, 4465-004 Matosinhos, Portugal)

  • Luís Gomes

    (Management/CEOS.PP/ISCAP/Polytechnic of Porto, 4465-004 Matosinhos, Portugal)

  • Armindo Lima

    (Accounting/CEOS.PP/ISCAP/Polytechnic of Porto, 4465-004 Matosinhos, Portugal)

Abstract

While financial statements are the primary source of information about a firm, they tend to be under earnings management practices, namely to avoid paying tax. Therefore, we aim to examine whether taxes still affect earning persistence in an era of prevalent digital information. For that purpose, we use book–tax differences considering the deductible temporary differences and the taxable temporary differences. In addition, we analyze which of the two earnings components are more affected by taxes, specifically cash flow or accruals. We estimate econometric regressions using panel data to test our hypotheses. Through a sample of 421 small- and medium-sized (SME) Portuguese firms, between 2016 and 2020, we found empirical evidence that earning persistence tends to be lower when deductible temporary differences increase, while taxable temporary differences produce no statically significant effect. Furthermore, our results suggest that cash flow component increases more earning persistence than accruals. Therefore, deductible temporary difference may be an indicator of earnings management activities in these firms. These results are relevant, given the potential negative consequences of earnings management for the efficient decision making of stakeholders and even more because SMEs represent a substantial number of firms in European countries, particularly in Portugal.

Suggested Citation

  • Ângela Pereira & Cláudia Pereira & Luís Gomes & Armindo Lima, 2023. "Do Taxes Still Affect Earning Persistence?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:13:y:2023:i:2:p:48-:d:1060191
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/13/2/48/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/13/2/48/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ray Ball, 2006. "International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS): pros and cons for investors," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(S1), pages 5-27.
    2. Abdul Wahab, Nor Shaipah & Holland, Kevin, 2015. "The persistence of book-tax differences," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(4), pages 339-350.
    3. Arjan Brouwer & Ewout Naarding, 2018. "Making Deferred Taxes Relevant," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(2), pages 200-230, May.
    4. Heung Joo Jeon & Hyun Min Oh, 2020. "Debt Origin and Investment Efficiency from Korea," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-27, August.
    5. Hyung-Jong Na & Hyeon Kang & Hyang-Eun Lee, 2021. "Does Tax Incentives Affect Future Firm Value for Corporate Sustainability?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-17, November.
    6. Dechow, Patricia M., 1994. "Accounting earnings and cash flows as measures of firm performance : The role of accounting accruals," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 3-42, July.
    7. Ball, Ray & Shivakumar, Lakshmanan, 2005. "Earnings quality in UK private firms: comparative loss recognition timeliness," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 83-128, February.
    8. Nanhee Hong & Junyong Shim, 2019. "The Effect of the Adoption of International Accounting Standards No. 12 (IAS No. 12) for Firms Reporting Losses: Evidence from Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-24, October.
    9. Christopher Nobes, 2006. "The survival of international differences under IFRS: towards a research agenda," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(3), pages 233-245.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tan, Youchao & Zhu, Zhenmei & Zeng, Cheng & Gao, Minghua, 2014. "Does external finance pressure affect corporate disclosure of Chinese non-state-owned enterprises?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 212-222.
    2. Cerqueira Antonio & Pereira Claudia, 2020. "The Effect of Economic Conditions on Accounting Conservatism under IFRS in Europe," Review of Economic Perspectives, Sciendo, vol. 20(2), pages 137-169, June.
    3. Karampinis, Nikolaos I. & Hevas, Dimosthenis L., 2011. "Mandating IFRS in an Unfavorable Environment: The Greek Experience," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 304-332, September.
    4. Christian Gross, 2016. "The Effect of the German Accounting Law Modernization Act on the Comparability of Private Local GAAP and IFRS Firms," Schmalenbach Business Review, Springer;Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft, vol. 17(3), pages 423-460, December.
    5. Anna Görlitz & Michael Dobler, 2023. "Financial accounting for deferred taxes: a systematic review of empirical evidence," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(1), pages 113-165, February.
    6. Goncharov, Igor & Werner, Joerg R. & Zimmermann, Jochen, 2009. "Legislative demands and economic realities: Company and group accounts compared," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 334-362, December.
    7. Hao, Qian & Shi, Xiangyan & Bu, Danlu, 2018. "The Chinese stimulus program from 2008 to 2010 and accounting information quality," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 64-78.
    8. Fares Alsufy & Malik Abu Afifa & Mohammed Zakaria Soda, 2020. "Mediating Effects of Liquidity in the Relationship between Earnings Quality and Market Value of the Share Price: Evidence from Jordan," Review of Applied Socio-Economic Research, Pro Global Science Association, vol. 19(1), pages 17-32, June.
    9. Ray Ball, 2009. "Market and Political/Regulatory Perspectives on the Recent Accounting Scandals," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 277-323, May.
    10. Kamarudin, Khairul Anuar & Ariff, Akmalia M. & Jaafar, Aziz, 2020. "Investor protection, cross-listing and accounting quality," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1).
    11. Peter Carey & Brad Potter & George Tanewski, 2014. "Application of the Reporting Entity Concept in Australia," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 50(4), pages 460-489, December.
    12. Juan García Lara & Beatriz Osma & Evi Neophytou, 2009. "Earnings quality in ex‐post failed firms," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(2), pages 119-138.
    13. Jinhan Pae, 2007. "Unexpected Accruals and Conditional Accounting Conservatism," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(5‐6), pages 681-704, June.
    14. Heidi Vander Bauwhede & Michiel De Meyere & Philippe Van Cauwenberge, 2015. "Financial reporting quality and the cost of debt of SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 149-164, June.
    15. Cairns, David & Massoudi, Dianne & Taplin, Ross & Tarca, Ann, 2011. "IFRS fair value measurement and accounting policy choice in the United Kingdom and Australia," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 1-21.
    16. Tsalavoutas, Ioannis & André, Paul & Evans, Lisa, 2012. "The transition to IFRS and the value relevance of financial statements in Greece," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 262-277.
    17. BEUSELINCK, Christof & DELOOF, Marc, "undated". "Bussiness groups, taxes and accruals management," Working Papers 2006015, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    18. Christof Beuselinck & Marc Deloof & Sophie Manigart, 2009. "Private Equity Involvement and Earnings Quality," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(5‐6), pages 587-615, June.
    19. Matthias Breuer & David Windisch, 2019. "Investment Dynamics and Earnings‐Return Properties: A Structural Approach," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(3), pages 639-674, June.
    20. Chung, Hyeesoo H. & Wynn, Jinyoung P., 2008. "Managerial legal liability coverage and earnings conservatism," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 135-153, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:13:y:2023:i:2:p:48-:d:1060191. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.