An Investigation the Information Content of Asset Turnover/Profit Margin Model in Determining of Earnings Management

The aim of this research is to investigate the explanatory power of asset turnover (ATO)/Profit Margin (PM) model in determining of changes of operating income of listed companies in Tehran Stock Exchange. Dependent variable is ratio of changes of operating income to net operating assets in forward year that is used to measure the information content of ATO/PM model in identifying earnings management. In this study, we propose a simple diagnostic of earnings management that relies on the widely held notion underlying DuPont analysis that sales is a fundamental driver of a firm’s investment and income, and that net operating assets on the balance sheet and net operating income on the income statement should vary directly with sales. Moreover, we note that changes in ATO and PM in opposite directions could signal earnings management. Independent variables contain upward and downward EM based on ATO/PM model. Also, operating income to net operating assets ratio in current year, changes of operating income to net operating assets ratio in current year, to net operating assets to sale ratio in current year, changes of net operating assets to sale ratio in current year, changes of ATO, changes of PM, components of managed accrual items based on abnormal accrual items (Jones adjusted Model), and market value to book value were applied as control variables. Statistical population contains 133 companies during 2004-2011. The panel/pooled regression models exerted to testify research hypotheses. Findings indicate that ATO/PM model compared with Jones adjusted abnormal accruals items model is of less relative information content in identifying earnings management.