The Reactions of Analysts and Institutional Investors to Firms’ Real Activities Management
Publication Type
Conference Paper
Publication Date
8-2012
Abstract
This study examines the effect of real activities management (RAM) on firms’ future performance and the reactions of analysts and institutional investors to RAM. The issue of whether RAM has a positive or negative effect on firms’ operating performance is not conclusive in the prior literature. We posit that RAM has a direct negative effect on firms’ future sales and present the confirming evidence. Our analysis of the response of analysts to RAM reveals that analysts lower their sales forecasts upon observing RAM, supporting the notion that they understand the negative effect of RAM on firms’ future sales. We also find that institutional investors sell their stocks in firms that show signs of RAM. Recent studies report that tighter accounting standards can prompt RAM. Our evidence is important in this context because it shows that some market participants are able to observe RAM and that they penalize those firms accordingly.
Discipline
Accounting | Portfolio and Security Analysis
Research Areas
Corporate Reporting and Disclosure
Publication
American Accounting Association Annual Meeting
City or Country
Washington DC, USA
Citation
CHUNG, Sung Gon and LEE, Joonho.
The Reactions of Analysts and Institutional Investors to Firms’ Real Activities Management. (2012). American Accounting Association Annual Meeting.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soa_research/998