The earnings-smoothing hypothesis suggests that earnings are manipulated to reduce
fluctuations around some level considered normal for the firm. A number of
causes may underlie smoothing behavior. Barnea et al. (1975) argue that smoothing is a
vehicle for management to convey its earnings expectations within generally accepted
accounting principles (GAAP), which do not permit making direct forecasts. Hand
(1989, 597) agrees that "[o]ccasional smoothing may be an effective way for a firm to provide the stock market with information as to the degree of future persistence of current
earnings." He also proposes another possible reason for earnings-smoothing,
arguing that it produces an earnings per share (EPS) number closer to market expectations.
A somewhat similar reason is reported by the financial press. According
to Fortune (1989,196), "CEOs know that investors hate surprises, so they try to keep net
income trending up a nice straight slope " Weisbach (1988) finds that, after controlling
for stock price performance, CEO turnover is higher when accounting earnings are
below the previous year's, suggesting that managers may smooth annual earnings to
save their positions. In this context, smoothing takes the form of either reducing
earnings manipulatively when they are exceptionally (temporarily) high (to avoid an excessive
goal in the following year) or inflating them manipulatively when they are lower
than the previous year's earnings. Trueman and Titman (1988) propose that income
smoothing is beneficial to firms because it dampens the variance of observed earnings
and thereby reduces tbe firm's cost of borrowing.
The earnings-smoothing hypothesis suggests that earnings are manipulated to reducefluctuations around some level considered normal for the firm. A number ofcauses may underlie smoothing behavior. Barnea et al. (1975) argue that smoothing is avehicle for management to convey its earnings expectations within generally acceptedaccounting principles (GAAP), which do not permit making direct forecasts. Hand(1989, 597) agrees that "[o]ccasional smoothing may be an effective way for a firm to provide the stock market with information as to the degree of future persistence of currentearnings." He also proposes another possible reason for earnings-smoothing,arguing that it produces an earnings per share (EPS) number closer to market expectations.A somewhat similar reason is reported by the financial press. Accordingto Fortune (1989,196), "CEOs know that investors hate surprises, so they try to keep netincome trending up a nice straight slope " Weisbach (1988) finds that, after controllingfor stock price performance, CEO turnover is higher when accounting earnings arebelow the previous year's, suggesting that managers may smooth annual earnings tosave their positions. In this context, smoothing takes the form of either reducingearnings manipulatively when they are exceptionally (temporarily) high (to avoid an excessivegoal in the following year) or inflating them manipulatively when they are lowerthan the previous year's earnings. Trueman and Titman (1988) propose that incomesmoothing is beneficial to firms because it dampens the variance of observed earningsand thereby reduces tbe firm's cost of borrowing.
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