We examine the information role of accounting disclosures on warranties, utilizing a database that became available due to the requirements of FIN 45. First, because firms use warranty policies as a business strategy to promote their products, a warranty reserve can serve two roles: an...

This paper examines the role of conservatism when an agent can manipulate upcoming earnings before all uncertainty is resolved. An increase in conservatism, by reducing the likelihood of favorable earnings, requires steeper performance pay to maintain the same level of incentives, which in turn...

In this study, we examine the association between the initiation of credit default swaps (CDS) trading and firms' earnings management behavior. Since CDS contracts help creditors transfer credit risk, creditors tend to be tough in debt renegotiations. Anticipating tough creditors, CDS firms may...