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Financial Reporting and Conflicting Managerial Incentives: The Case of Management Buyouts

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  • Paul E. Fischer

    (Accounting Department, Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802)

  • Henock Louis

    (Accounting Department, Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802)

Abstract

We analyze the effect of external financing concerns on managers' financial reporting behavior prior to management buyouts (MBOs). Prior studies hypothesize that managers intending to undertake an MBO have an incentive to manage earnings downward to reduce the purchase price. We hypothesize that managers also face a conflicting reporting incentive associated with their efforts to obtain external financing for the MBO and to lower their financing cost. Consistent with our hypothesis, we find that managers who rely the most on external funds to finance their MBOs tend to report less negative abnormal accrual prior to the MBOs. In addition, the relation between external financing and abnormal accruals is tempered when there are more fixed assets that can serve as collateral for debt financing.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul E. Fischer & Henock Louis, 2008. "Financial Reporting and Conflicting Managerial Incentives: The Case of Management Buyouts," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 54(10), pages 1700-1714, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:54:y:2008:i:10:p:1700-1714
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.1080.0895
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mao, Yaping & Renneboog, Luc, 2015. "Do managers manipulate earnings prior to management buyouts?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 43-61.
    2. Cathy Beaudoin & Anna Cianci & George Tsakumis, 2015. "The Impact of CFOs’ Incentives and Earnings Management Ethics on their Financial Reporting Decisions: The Mediating Role of Moral Disengagement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 128(3), pages 505-518, May.
    3. Gaganis, Chrysovalantis & Hasan, Iftekhar & Pasiouras, Fotios, 2016. "Regulations, institutions and income smoothing by managing technical reserves: International evidence from the insurance industry," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 59(PA), pages 113-129.
    4. repec:bof:bofrdp:urn:nbn:fi:bof-201508181354 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. repec:zbw:bofrdp:2015_015 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. repec:zbw:bofrdp:urn:nbn:fi:bof-201508181354 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. James Ang & Irena Hutton & Mary Anne Majadillas, 2014. "Manager Divestment in Leveraged Buyouts," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 20(3), pages 462-493, June.
    8. Pelucio-Grecco, Marta Cristina & Geron, Cecília Moraes Santostaso & Grecco, Gerson Begas & Lima, João Paulo Cavalcante, 2014. "The effect of IFRS on earnings management in Brazilian non-financial public companies," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 42-66.
    9. Ioannis Dokas & Christos Leontidis & Nicolaos Eriotis & Konstantinos Hazakis, 2021. "Earnings Management. An overview of the relative literature," Bulletin of Applied Economics, Risk Market Journals, vol. 8(2), pages 25-55.
    10. Renneboog, Luc & Vansteenkiste, Cara, 2017. "Leveraged Buyouts : A Survey of the Literature," Other publications TiSEM 573ebdd5-a720-4110-8ed1-e, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    11. Franck Missonier‐Piera & Cédric Spadetti, 2023. "The consequences of earnings management for the acquisition premium in friendly takeovers," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1-2), pages 308-334, January.

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