Results from a cross-sectional OLS analysis that regressed income from asset sales
on two explanatory variables (annual earnings changes and debt-equity ratios) indicate
that the earnings-smoothing and debt-equity effects are incremental; after controlling
for one effect, the other still exists. Finally, the documented earnings-smoothing and
debt-equity effects are robust to specifications that consider asset sale levels, bonus
plans, possible tax effects, and current ratios. These findings increase the confidence
that the results are not attributable to correlated omitted variables.