Accrual and real-based earnings management by UK acquirers: Evidence from pre- and post-Higgs periods
Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change
ISSN: 1832-5912
Article publication date: 6 November 2017
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the occurrence of pre-merger earnings management for a sample of 197 stock- and cash-financed UK acquirers between 1990 and 2009. It also examines the earnings management behaviour around the change in the Corporate Governance Code in 2003 based on the Higgs recommendations.
Design/methodology/approach
Mean and median accrual- and real-based manipulation are examined in the period before the announcement of a merger and acquisition. These are compared across stock and cash acquirers as well as before and after the implementation of the Higgs recommendations. Logistic regressions are also run to examine accrual- and real-based manipulation across stock and cash acquirers after controlling for variables that may affect the acquisition type.
Findings
The study found some evidence of upward pre-merger accrual-based earnings management by stock-financed acquirers, which is in line with the findings of Botsari and Meeks (2008). Furthermore, no significant changes were found in the post-Higgs period, which indicates that the recommendations put forth by Higgs may not have been successful in mitigating earnings management. The evidence also shows that cash bidders engage in pre-merger real earnings manipulation through lower discretionary expenses, possibly to enhance cash availability for the bid.
Practical implications
The findings in this study confirm earnings management exists around mergers and acquisitions and provide some evidence that the recommendations set out in the Higgs Report do not appear to have mitigated earnings management activities. This is of interest to regulators as well as investors and academicians.
Originality/value
This provides the first analysis in the UK examining the use of real-based earnings management activities by UK acquirers. It also extends prior research around corporate governance changes that occurred in the UK.
Keywords
Citation
Kassamany, T., Ibrahim, S. and Archbold, S. (2017), "Accrual and real-based earnings management by UK acquirers: Evidence from pre- and post-Higgs periods", Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 492-519. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAOC-09-2015-0073
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited