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Mughal, A., Haque, A., Zahid, Z., Ali, F., Li, Z. Does Target Firm’s Earnings Management Affect Shareholder’s Gains? Evidence from China. Credit and Capital Markets – Kredit und Kapital, 55(2), 203-226. https://doi.org/10.3790/ccm.55.2.203
Mughal, Azhar; Haque, Abdul; Zahid, Zohaib; Ali, Furman and Li, Zheng "Does Target Firm’s Earnings Management Affect Shareholder’s Gains? Evidence from China" Credit and Capital Markets – Kredit und Kapital 55.2, 2022, 203-226. https://doi.org/10.3790/ccm.55.2.203
Mughal, Azhar/Haque, Abdul/Zahid, Zohaib/Ali, Furman/Li, Zheng (2022): Does Target Firm’s Earnings Management Affect Shareholder’s Gains? Evidence from China, in: Credit and Capital Markets – Kredit und Kapital, vol. 55, iss. 2, 203-226, [online] https://doi.org/10.3790/ccm.55.2.203

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Does Target Firm’s Earnings Management Affect Shareholder’s Gains? Evidence from China

Mughal, Azhar | Haque, Abdul | Zahid, Zohaib | Ali, Furman | Li, Zheng

Credit and Capital Markets – Kredit und Kapital, Vol. 55 (2022), Iss. 2 : pp. 203–226

2 Citations (CrossRef)

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Article Details

Author Details

Dr. Azhar Mughal, Assistant Professor, The Institute of Management Sciences, Lahore Pakistan, Postcode 54000, and Researcher, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, China Postcode 611130, +86 137 39499643, +92 320 4511678.

Dr. Abdul Haque, Associate Professor, COMSATS University Islamabad Lahore Campus, Lahore Pakistan, Postcode 54000, +92 333 4203330.

Zohaib Zahid, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, China Postcode 611130, +86 137 39499247.

Furman Ali, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, China Postcode 611130, +86 155 28384305.

Zheng Li (Corresponding Author), Sichuan Industrial Revitalization Development Investment Fund Co. Ltd, Chengdu, China, Postcode 610095, +86 28 85323231.

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    https://doi.org/10.3790/ccm.55.2.153 [Citations: 4]

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Abstract

This study tests the hypothesis that the target firms are involved in earnings management activities in quarters leading to a takeover announcement. Using a sample of 3,455 Chinese listed firms that are targets of successful acquisitions over the period 2007–2020, and for a matched sample of non-targets, we find that target firms manipulate earnings in quarters leading to the announcement date. Further, we find evidence of a negative relationship between earnings management and short-term gains to shareholders. Our result remains robust after controlling for various deal characteristics. The study also suggests that pre-merger earnings management in target firms is not fully anticipated by the market before the takeover announcement. We find no evidence of earnings management immediately after the announcement quarter.