本研究之目的在於探討金融商品價值變動、公司特性與盈餘管理之關聯性，研究對象2006年1月1日至2009年6月30日金融業以外之上市公司作，並分為兩部分進行分析。第一部份檢視公司特性與其持有金融商品的關係，並觀察全球金融危機是否會影響公司對於金融商品之持有程度。第二部份探討金融商品價值變動以及公司特性是否會影響公司之盈餘管理行為。 本研究結果顯示，管理當局持股愈高、債務比率愈低、公司規模愈大、現金股利率愈高、流動性愈高以及研發費用率愈高之公司，其持有金融商品之程度愈高。產業為電子業之公司較其他產業之公司持有較少之金融商品。全球金融危機發生之後，公司對金融商品之持有程度有明顯下降之情況。 此外，金融資產評價利益、金融資產評價損失與金融負債評價損失與盈餘管理之關係符合損益平穩化之理論；金融商品減損損失與盈餘管理之關係則符合洗大澡之理論。管理當局持股比率愈高時，愈會將裁量性應計向上操縱或向下操縱，而債務比率愈高之公司，愈會將裁量性應計向下操縱。公司資金愈多，管理階層愈不會操縱裁量性應計，但其差異較不明顯。而電子業公司之盈餘管理幅度則小於非電子產業公司。 / This purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between value changes in financial instruments, firm characteristics and earnings management. The study includes two parts and uses a sample of the companies (excluding financial firms) listed at the Taiwan Stock Exchange from January 2006 to June 2009. First, I examine the relationship between company characteristics and their holdings of financial instruments. It also examines whether the global financial crisis affected these companies’ holdings of financial instruments. Secondly, I examine whether the value changes of financial instruments and company characteristics affect the sample companies’ earnings management behavior. The empirical results show that the companies with higher management ownership, lower debt ratio, larger size, higher cash dividend yield, higher liquidity, and higher rates of R&D have tend to hold more financial instruments. Companies in the electronics industry hold less financial instruments. Companies kept less financial instruments decreased after the global financial crisis. In addition, the relationship between valuation gain and loss on financial assets, valuation loss on financial liabilities and earnings management conforms to the theory of income smoothing. And the relationship between financial instruments impairment losses and earnings management is consistent with the big bath theory. Management with higher ownership tends to manipulate more discretionary accruals. Companies with higher debt ratio tend to manipulate discretionary accruals downward. For the companies with more funds, their management manipulates less discretionary accruals, although the difference is less obvious. Earnings management by the companies in the electronics industry is less than those in other industries.

本研究延伸Becker et al. ( 1998 )六大會計師事務所審計效率高於非六大的研究，探討會計師事務所在面對管理階層不同之盈餘管理動機時，也就是當會計師與管理階層兩者間的盈餘報導動機衝突或一致時，會計師事務所的監督功能是否對稱。本研究認為高審計品質的會計師事務所在決定盈餘報導時，會比低審計品質的會計師事務所更加保守，因為高品質之會計師事務所面對審計失敗伴隨而來的訴訟成本遠較其他會計師事務所來的高，使得會計師事務所對於客戶採用增加所得的會計政策會保持較高的專業懷疑態度，抑制客戶虛增盈餘，因此，當管理者產生增加所得的盈餘報導動機時，衝突就會發生；反之，當客戶採用減少所得的會計政策，基於會計上的穩健原則，會計師事務所干涉程度則較低，使客戶較易進行減少所得的盈餘管理，故會計師事務所的監督功能不具對稱性。 而本研究結果顯示，當客戶有增加所得的盈餘管理動機時，代表高審計品質的五大與產業專家會計師事務所的客戶所報導的裁量性應計顯著低於非五大與非產業專家之會計師事務所，表示在會計師事務所與管理階層的盈餘報導動機有衝突時，五大與產業專家會計師事務所的審計品質較佳，較能抑制客戶利用裁量性應計進行增加所得的盈餘管理；反之，當客戶有減少所得的盈餘管理動機時，五大與產業專家會計師事務所的客戶所報導的裁量性應計也顯著低於非五大與非產業專家之會計師事務所，表示在會計師事務所與管理階層的盈餘報導動機相一致時，五大與產業專家會計師事務所的審計品質反而較低，容許客戶利用裁量性應計進行減少所得的盈餘管理。此實證結果支持本研究之假說，當會計師事務所與管理階層的盈餘報導動機發生衝突(一致)時，五大與產業專家會計師事務所的審計品質高(低)於非五大與非產業專家會計師事務所，監督功能不具對稱性。 / The research of Becker et al ( 1998 ) found that the big 6 CPA firms’ audit efficiency was higher than the non-big 6 CPA firms’ audit efficiency. This research extends Becker’s research and discusses whether the surveillance function of CPA firms is symmetrical or not when CPA firms face different earnings management motives of the management. In other words, when the earnings management motives between CPAs and management are conflict or consistent, whether will result in different audit quality level or not. We thought that the CPA firms with high audit quality are more conservative than those with low audit quality when deciding the reported earnings. Because the lawsuit cost of the CPA firms with high audit quality is much greater than the lawsuit cost of other CPA firms when facing the audit defeat. Thus the high audit quality CPA firms maintain the higher specialized suspicion on their customers who use the accounting policy to increase their earnings and restrain their earnings management. Therefore, when the management has the motive to increase reported earnings, the conflict will occur; on the contrary, when the management has the motive to decrease reported earnings, the CPA firms will tolerate their customers making earnings management to decrease the reported earnings base on the conservatism of accounting, so the surveillance function of CPA firms will decline and become not symmetry. According to our research, we find that when the management has the motive to increase reported earnings, the reported discretionary accruals of the management audited by the big 5 and industrial expert CPA firms are much lower than those audited by the non-big 5 and non- industrial expert CPA firms. It means when the motive of earnings reporting between the CPA firms and management is conflict, the audit quality of the big 5 and industrial expert CPA firms is much better, and they can restrain their customer using the discretionary accruals to increase their earnings. On the other hand, when the management has the motive to decrease reported earnings, the reported discretionary accruals of the management audited by the big 5 and industrial expert CPA firms are also much lower than those audited by the non-big 5 and non- industrial expert CPA firms. It means when the motive of earnings reporting between the CPA firms and management is consistent, the audit quality of the big 5 and industrial expert CPA firms is much lower instead, and they tolerate their customer using the discretionary accruals to decrease their earnings. This result of statistics test supports our hypotheses. When the earnings reporting motive between the CPA firms and the management is conflict ( consistent ), the audit quality of big 5 and industrial expert CPA firms is higher ( lower ) than other CPA firms’ audit quality. The surveillance function does not have the symmetry.

A literatura trata a suavização do lucro líquido como uma das proxies para medir a qualidade da informação contábil (DECHOW; GE; SCHRAND, 2010). Porém, pesquisas sobre suavização do lucro líquido são divergentes em responder se essa suavização aumenta ou diminui a qualidade da informação. Existem trabalhos que testam se o aumento da suavização do lucro líquido aumenta a qualidade da informação por meio da persistência do lucro (TUCKER; ZAROWIN, 2006). Sabe-se, todavia, que os investidores não projetam fluxos de caixa futuros das empresas utilizando somente o lucro líquido, mas as contas de resultado que compõem esse lucro, pois são consideradas relevantes no processo de decisão sobre determinado investimento (BARTON; HANSEN; POWNALL, 2010). Entretanto, desconhecese qual o impacto da suavização sobre as contas de resultado que compõem o lucro líquido. Assim, esta pesquisa procura analisar como o objetivo de suavizar o lucro líquido afeta a persistência das contas de resultado que compõem esse lucro. Nesse sentido, as empresas que fazem parte da amostra foram separadas em empresas que mais e menos suavizam o lucro líquido de acordo com três modelos de suavização encontrados na literatura (LEUZ; NANDA; WYSOCKI , 2003; TUCKER; ZAROWIN, 2006). Posteriormente, foram testadas a persistência das contas de resultado, utilizando o modelo de persistência adaptado de Dechow; Ge e Schrand (2010). Os resultados apontam que as empresas que mais suavizam o lucro líquido possuem contas de resultado mais persistentes em relação às contas das empresas que menos suavizam esse lucro. Além disso, as empresas que mais suavizam o lucro líquido com maior quantidade de accruals discricionários possuem determinadas contas de resultado mais persistentes quando comparadas às empresas que mais suavizam esse lucro com menor quantidade de accruals discricionários. Portanto, os resultados sugerem que o gestor esteja suavizando o lucro artificialmente aumentando a persistência de determinadas contas de resultado, o que caracteriza estas persistências como artificiais. Assim, o investidor que projetar fluxos de caixa de empresas que mais suavizam o lucro líquido com maior quantidade de accruals discricionários poderá ter sua decisão prejudicada / The literature treats the income smoothing as one of the proxies to measure the earnings quality (DECHOW; GE; SCHRAND, 2010). However, research on the income smoothing diverges in whether this smoothing increases or decreases the earnings quality. There are studies that test whether the increase in income smoothing increases the quality of information through the earnings persistence (TUCKER; ZAROWIN, 2006). It is known, however, that investors do not project future cash flows of companies using only net income, but the profit and loss accounts that make up this profit since they are considered relevant in the decision process on an investment (BARTON; HANSEN; POWNALL, 2010). However, the impact of income smoothing on the income statements that make up net income is not known. Thus, this research seeks to analyze how the objective of smoothing the net profit affects the persistence of the income accounts that compose this profit. In this sense, the companies that are part of the sample were separated into companies that more and less smooth the net profit according to three models of income smoothing found in the literature (LEUZ; NANDA; WYSOCKI , 2003; TUCKER; ZAROWIN, 2006). Subsequently, the persistence of the profit and loss accounts was tested using the persistence model adapted from Dechow; Ge and Schrand (2010). The results show that the companies that smoothed the net profit have more persistent profit and loss accounts in relation to the accounts of the companies that least smooth their profit. In addition, companies that the most smoothed their net income with greater amount of discretionary accruals have more persistent profit and loss accounts when compared to the companies that most smooth their profit with less amount of discretionary accruals. Therefore, the results suggest that it is possible for the manager being artificially smoothing the profit, making certain profit and loss accounts more persistent, which characterizes persistence as artificial. Thus, the investor who projects future cash flow from companies that the most smooth the net income with greater discretionary accruals may have their decision impaired, since the projection of future cash flow may not represent the expected future financial performance of the company

Introduction: Prior research, mainly based in USA and Asia, has shown a relationship between ownership structure and earnings quality. Low earnings quality might result in inefficient resource allocation, lower economic growth and unintended wealth transfers. Following these issues, and due to the fact that the Swedish institutional setting differs from other countries, there is a need to explain the relationship in a Swedish context. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explain how different ownership structures affect earnings quality. Method: This study is based on a deductive approach where the hypotheses have been deducted from agency theory, alignment effect, entrenchment effect and active monitoring hypothesis. The quantitative data consists of secondary data, namely annual reports. The study has been conducted with a cross-sectional design. Conclusion: The results show a positive relationship between foreign ownership and earnings quality. The result can be explained with agency theory’s type I-problem. Other ownership structures show no significant relationship. / Introduktion: Tidigare forskning, främst i USA och Asien, har hittat samband mellan företags ägarstruktur och earnings quality. Låg earnings quality kan resultera i ineffektiv resursallokering, lägre samhällsekonomisk tillväxt samt omotiverade förmögenhetsöverföringar. Till följd av dessa problem, samt att Sveriges institutionella miljö skiljer sig åt från andra länder, finns behovet att förklara sambandet i en svensk kontext. Syfte: Studiens syfte är att förklara hur olika ägarstrukturer påverkar earnings quality. Metod: Studien utgår från en deduktiv ansats där hypoteser deducerats utifrån agentteori, alignment effect, entrenchment effect, samt active monitoring hypothesis. Kvantitativ data består av sekundärdata i form av årsredovisningar. Studien har genomförts med en tvärsnittsdesign. Slutsats: Studiens resultat visar att företag med högre andel utländskt ägande tenderar att redovisa högre earnings quality. Resultatet kan förklaras av agentteorins typ I-problem. Övriga ägarstrukturer uppvisar inga signifikanta samband.

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to explain how the implementation of IFRS 16 Leaseshas affected how publicly listed firms on the Scandinavian stock exchange markets useearnings management activities. Methodology: This thesis has used a quantitative method using a deductive approach with ageneral positivistic philosophy. The database Datastream, provided via Jönköping University,was used in the data collection. To analyze the data, a Pearson and Spearman’s Rho correlationwas conducted, as well as a multiple linear regression analysis. Findings: The findings suggest that operating leasing has not been used as a substitute to otherkinds of earnings management. Further, Scandinavian public companies show no increasedincentive to use income increasing earnings management via discretionary accruals. Moreover,the findings also show that the implementation of IFRS 16 Leases does not appear to have hadas incremental effects on the Scandinavian public companies as initially expected. Theoretical perspectives: The thesis uses earlier literature within earnings management, aswell as the Agency theory, the Positive accounting theory, and the Signaling theory to enablean explanation to how IFRS 16 Leases has affected how publicly listed firms on theScandinavian stock exchange markets use earnings management activities.

This study examines the prevalence of earnings management during the covid-19 pandemic in Swedish listed firms and aims to provide further evidence regarding earnings management practices during the pandemic. The study further investigates whether there are any differences between industries in terms of engaging in opportunistic accounting procedures. Previous research on earnings management during the covid-19 pandemic exclusively examines the year of 2020 as pandemic period. This study aims to contribute with further evidence by expanding the pandemic period and including the fiscal year of 2021, adding one additional fiscal year largely affected by the pandemic. Previous studies on the area finds contrasting results, where some studies find that firms tend to pursue income-increasing practices, while others deliberately decrease financial performance during a crisis. In order to perform this study, the modified Jones model is used to detect accrual-based earnings management through abnormal levels of discretionary accruals. The result of this study finds significantly increased levels of income-decreasing accrual-based earnings management, potentially suggesting that firms engaged in “big bath accounting” during the pandemic in order to boost financial performance in future periods. Additionally, the results show significantly increased levels of income-decreasing earnings management in 2/8 industries.

Denna studie undersökte om företagsstorlek påverkar förekomsten av resultatmanipulation på Stockholm OMX large cap och mid cap. Studien undersökte om dessa företag använder sig av periodiseringsbaserad resultatmanipulation för att uppnå ett mer positivt eller negativt resultat. För att studera förekomsten av periodiseringsbaserad resultatmanipulation applicerades den modifierade Jones modellen för att identifiera diskretionära periodiseringar. I samband med detta utfördes en regressionsanalys för att förklara sambandet mellan den beroende och de oberoende variablerna. Datainsamlingen skedde via databasen Orbis och urvalet för studien var 154 företag. Resultatet bekräftar att det finns ett signifikant samband mellan periodiseringsbaserad resultatmanipulation och företagsstorlek. Förklaringsvariabeln är dock låg. Studien kan även visa att företag som är noterade på Stockholm OMX large cap resultatmanipulerar i större utsträckning än företag noterade på mid cap och gör det främst för att uppnå ett lägre redovisat resultat. Studien fann även att företag noterade på mid cap resultatmanipulerar i huvudsak för att minska det redovisade resultatet. / This study examines how company size affects the occurrence of earnings management on Stockholm OMX large cap and mid cap. The study further aimed to investigate whether these companies use accrual-based earnings management to achieve a more positive or negative result. To study the occurrence of accrual-based earnings management, the modified Jones model has been applied to identify discretionary accruals. In conjunction with this, a regression analysis was performed to explain the relationship between the dependent and the independent variables. The data collection took place via the Orbis database and the total sample for the study was 154 companies. The result confirms that there is a statistical significance between accrual-based earnings management and company size, however, the explanatory variable is low. The study can also show that companies that are listed on Stockholm OMX large cap use earnings management to a greater extent than companies listed on mid cap and they mainly do so to achieve a lower reported result. The study also found that companies listed on mid cap engage in earnings management to reduce the reported result.

Forskningsfråga:                           Hur påverkar införandet av lagstadgad CSR i Sverige användningen av diskretionära periodiseringar? Syfte:                                                         Syftet med studien är att undersöka och förklara sambandet mellan obligatorisk Corporate Social Responsibility och Earnings Management i svenska börsnoterade bolag med stöd av agentteorin. För att besvara syftet kommer Jones modifierade modell och DeAngelo modellen tillämpas samt jämföras med ESG-poäng. Metod:                                                       Studien tillämpade en kvantitativ metod och utgick från en positivistisk forskningsfilosofi med en deduktiv ansats. Studieperioden var mellan år 2019–2022 och urvalet bestod av svenska börsnoterade bolag som möter kraven för obligatorisk CSR. Insamlingen av data har skett med hjälp av Business Retriever och Refinitiv Eikon. Jones modifierade modell och DeAngelo modellen har använts för att mäta diskretionära periodiseringar. Slutsats:                                 Studien finner ett signifikant positivt samband mellan obligatorisk CSR och EM när Jones modifierade modellen tillämpats. När sambandet med hjälp av DeAngelo modellen mäts erhålls inte ett statistiskt samband och kan därmed inte utifrån den modellen tolka resultatet. / Research question:               How does the introduction of statutory CSR in Sweden affect the use of discretionary accruals? Purpose:                                 The purpose of the study is to investigate and explain the correlation between mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility and Earnings Management in Swedish listed companies with the support of agency theory. To answer the purpose of the study, the Jones modified model and the DeAngelo model will be applied and compared with ESG-scores. Method:                                                   The study applied a quantitative method and is based on a positivist research philosophy with a deductive approach. The study period was between the years 2019–2022 and the sample consisted of Swedish listed companies who met the requirements for mandatory CSR. The data collection took place with the help of Retriever Business and Refinitiv Eikon. The Jones modified model and DeAngelo model have been used to measure discretionary accruals.  Conclusion:                             The study finds a significant positive correlation between mandatory CSR and EM when the Jones modified model was applied. When the relationship is measured using the DeAngelo model, a statistically significant correlation is not obtained, and the result therefore cannot be interpreted based on that model.

自2005年開始PCAOB對外國之註冊會計師事務所進行國際檢查，至今已逾十年，然而制度實施之初面臨許多質疑。而今，已有文獻指出不論是美國或是其他國家，PCAOB的檢查皆具有一定效益，且具有外溢效果。惟各國間的國家特性因素於目前文獻中尚有發展空間，因此本研究欲了解國家特性是否會影響PCAOB國際檢查的外溢效果。 　　本研究以2004年至2013年間35國的資料計算裁決性應計數，以此代理審計品質，觀察各國審計品質於檢查前後的變化，並以法規執行力以及四大會計師事務所市占率代理國家特性，進一步了解不同特性的國家，其審計品質改變幅度的差異。 　　根據實證結果發現，當一國的法規執行力較高或是四大會計師事務所市占率較高時，審計品質較佳，因此於PCAOB國際檢查後審計品質提升幅度較小。各國的準則制定機構可透過本研究的國家分類，量身訂定更符合國家的準則，以改善審計品質。 / Since 2005, PCAOB has inspected foreign registered audit firms for a period over ten years. The benefits of inspection in both the United States and other countries are documented by extant literature, but the research of country characteristics on the spillover benefits is still lacking. In this study, we document how country characteristics influence the spillover effect of PCAOB international inspection on audit quality. This study uses discretionary accruals as the proxy of audit quality. Our data of non-US-listed companies from 35 countries during 2004-2013 are taken from Datastream. In addition, we use legal enforcement and Big 4 dominance to investigate how country characteristics affect the magnitude of audit quality changes. According to empirical results, we find that countries with higher legal enforcement or Big 4 dominance provide better audit quality. Therefore, PCAOB international inspections in these countries generate smaller magnitude of audit quality improvement than in countries with lower legal enforcement and Big 4 dominance . Our results suggest that regulators of different countries should develop more tailored regulation in order to improve audit quality of their respective countries.

Syfte: Resultatmanipulering har visat sig förekomma hos såväl övertagande företag som hos målföretag vid situationer där ett företag tar över ett annat. Övertagandets karaktär (fientligt eller välvilligt övertagande) kan påverka hur målföretag tenderar att nyttja resultatmanipulering, eftersom incitamenten vid fientligt och välvilligt övertagande skiljer sig åt. Denna studie har syftet att undersöka förekomst och riktning (uppåt eller nedåt) av resultatmanipulation hos målföretag under året före ett välvilligt övertagande. Metod: Denna studie har ett positivistiskt perspektiv och en hypotetiskt-deduktiv ansats. Studien har utförts genom ett kvantitativt förfarande med en longitudinell design. Data har hämtats ur databaserna Thomson Reuters Eikon och Thomson Reuters Datastream, och data har analyserats med vedertagna statistiska metoder. Resultat och slutsats: Studiens resultat visar att målföretag tenderar att manipulera sina resultat i en nedåtgående riktning under året före ett välvilligt övertagande, vilket korresponderar med tidigare forskning. Även att manipulationen sker med målet att minska redovisade vinster är i linje med vad tidigare forskning har visat. Våra resultat visar även att potentiella skillnader hos redovisningsstandarder mellan USA och Europa inte tycks påverka förekomst eller riktning av resultatmanipulering hos målföretag vid välvilliga övertaganden. Förslag till vidare forskning: Vi har identifierat behov av vidare studier på följande områden: vi finner det motiverat att undersöka övertaganden där målföretaget är utomeuropeiskt men det övertagande företaget europeiskt. Vi finner det även motiverat att studera kassaflödesmanipulering istället för diskretionära periodiseringar eftersom en sådan studie kan ge en fullständigare bild av incitament och manipuleringens förekomst och riktning. Slutligen kan en jämförelse mellan länder med skilda redovisningsstandarder, och en studie som fokuserar på onoterade istället för noterade företag, tillföra ny information till litteraturen om resultatmanipulering. Uppsatsens bidrag: Denna studie bidrar på det teoretiska planet genom att fylla ett gap i forskningen om resultatmanipulering hos målföretag vid välvilliga övertaganden i Europa. Denna studie ger stöd för påståendet att incitament för användandet av resultatmanipulering samt dess riktning (uppåt eller nedåt) skiljer sig mellan fientliga och välvilliga övertaganden. På det praktiska planet kan våra resultat vara till hjälp för lagstiftare och yrkesverksamma inom redovisning eftersom en ökad insikt i hur resultatmanipulation används ger bättre förutsättningar att motverka att denna sker. / Aim:Earnings management has been shown to take place at the acquiring form and at the target firm in takeover situations. The character of the takeover (friendly or hostile)can influence how target companies tend to utilize earnings management since incentives to manipulate varies between the twodiffering attitudes. The aim of this study is thus to investigate whether earnings management is utilized by target companies during the year preceding the takeover. As a side effect the net direction (upward or downward) of the manipulation will be revealed. Method:This study is based in the positivistic philosophy with a hypothetical deductive mode of operation.The study isquantitative with a longitudinal design. The secondary data used islocated and complied using the Thomson Reuters Eikon and Thomson Reuters Datastream databases. These data arethen handled and analyzed through well-recognized statistical methods. Results & conclusions:The results of the study show that target companies tend to manage their earnings in a downward manner during the year preceding a friendly takeover. That earnings management occurs in this context corresponds with previous research. The finding that the earnings are managed downward also coincides with earlier research. Our results also show that the distinction between the Americanand Europeancontexts have no effect on the prevalence of earnings management by target companies in friendly takeovers. Suggestions for future research:We identified the need for future research in the following areas: a study with a sample in which only the target company is non-European, but the acquiring firm is European. We also find that a study with a focus on real activitiesmanagement, rather than discretionary accruals could provide additional contributions. A deeper look at the differences between countries with differing accounting standards and a greater focus on unlisted, rather than listed, companies could give additional contributions as well. Contribution of the thesis:On a theoretical level our results enrich the existing body of knowledge and fill a void in the current research. The results lend support to the assertion that the incentives for earnings management and the direction (upward or downward) it takes differs between friendly and hostile takeovers. On a practical level our results might prove useful to lawmakers and practicing accountants considering a greater understanding of earnings management give these actors a greater likelihood to prevent manipulation from taking place.