This study investigates whether bank managers use their discretion in estimating loan loss provisions to convey information about their banks' future prospects. Bank managers' propensities to signal their private information vary cross-sectionally because they face different conditions and have...

This study investigates the implications of bank managers' discretion over their loan loss provision. It empirically assesses whether discretionary loan loss provision contains both signaling and income smoothing components. To do so, the study identifies different environments in which either...

We examine whether and how managers use loan loss provisions to smooth income and to signal their private information about their banks' future prospects. Our paper highlights that the use of the loan loss provision to accomplish more than one objective gives rise to situation-specific costs and...

This study investigates whether bank managers use their discretion in estimating loan loss provisions to convey information about their banks' future prospects. Bank managers' propensities to signal their private information vary cross-sectionally because they face different conditions and have...