We demonstrate the role of three empirical properties of cross-sectional distributions of analysts' forecast errors in generating evidence pertinent to three important and heretofore separately analyzed phenomena studied in the analyst earnings forecast literature: purported bias (intentional or...

We investigate potential costs experienced by firms that repeatedly have large quarterly earnings surprises during a condensed period of time. Consistent with our predictions, our univariate results indicate that surprise firms have lower analyst following, lower institutional ownership, and...

We examine whether firms with greater financial statement complexity are more likely to meet or beat analysts' earnings expectations. We proxy for financial statement complexity using the firm's industry and year adjusted accounting policy disclosure length. Firms with more complex financial...

General evidence exists to indicate that managers manage earnings at three common earnings thresholds: analyst forecasts, prior period earnings, and zero earnings. We examine one market-based motivation suggested for this behavior. If managers perceive the market penalty for barely missing an...

We measure managerial affective states during earnings conference calls by analyzing conference call audio files using vocal emotion analysis software. We hypothesize and find that when managers are scrutinized by analysts during conference calls, positive and negative affect displayed by...

Valuation theory, investment managers, financial analysts, and textbooks advocating horizontal financial statement analysis suggest that the change in earnings growth (earnings acceleration) conveys value relevant information. We test this assertion using a large sample of U.S. firms. Results...

This paper examines the link between managers' equity incentives - arising from stock-based compensation and stock ownership - and earnings management. We hypothesize that managers with high equity incentives are more likely to sell shares in the future and this motivates these managers to...

We examine stock sales as a managerial incentive to help explain the discontinuity around the analyst forecast benchmark. We find that the likelihood of just meeting versus just missing the analyst forecast is strongly associated with subsequent managerial stock sales. Moreover, we provide...

The extensive literature that investigates whether analysts' earnings forecasts are biased and/or inefficient has produced a history of conflicting evidence and no definitive answers to either question. This paper shows how two relatively small but statistically influential asymmetries in the...

In this paper we present evidence that a firm's stock price sensitivity to earnings news, as measured by outstanding stock recommendation, affects its incentives to manage earnings and, in turn, affects analysts' ex post forecast errors. In particular, we find a tendency for firms rated a Sell...