The effect of Income smoothing on firm's information uncertainty, stock returns and cost of equity

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of income smoothing on information uncertainty, stock return and cost of equity. For income smoothing two indices are used: total accruals smoothing and discretionary accruals smoothing. With accurate study of literature we hypothesized three possibilities and selected 111 companies listed in Tehran stock exchange as our survey for a period of three years, 1385-1387. In this study, Ohlson and Juttner- Narouth models were used to collect data. Our hypotheses were analyzed using multiple liner regressions and F and T tests. Our results showed that income smoothing caused reduction in information uncertainty in selected companies. It also showed that when fluctuations related to unexpected stock earnings are controlled, income smoothing 5 days before and after earnings announcement has no effect on companies' stock return. Finally our data showed that income smoothing has no effect on cost of equity.

Keywords

• cost of equity
• Discretionary accruals smoothing
• Information uncertainty
• Stock Return
• Total accruals smoothing