Impact of Tax Rate Changes on Earnings Quality: Evidence from the UK
The paper aims to ascertain whether there is an impact on the quality of earnings reported by corporates from changes in tax rates and to conclude whether any correlation exists between the tax rate changes and the current and discretionary accruals of the UK companies. The study hypothesizes whethe...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2016
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/36792/ |
| _version_ | 1848795347530285056 |
|---|---|
| author | Shah, Chiraag |
| author_facet | Shah, Chiraag |
| author_sort | Shah, Chiraag |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The paper aims to ascertain whether there is an impact on the quality of earnings reported by corporates from changes in tax rates and to conclude whether any correlation exists between the tax rate changes and the current and discretionary accruals of the UK companies. The study hypothesizes whether a fall in the corporate tax rate would or would not reduce the company’s accruals in the year before a tax rate reduction. Findings of the research (as statistically illustrated by the multiple regression analysis) reveal that 17.2% of the variation in current accruals is attributable to changes on net income, debt, changes in top line, market capitalization, and the decrease in tax. It thus follows that tax decrease, market capitalization of the firm, and changes in total revenue have a significant effect on the discretionary accruals. The null hypothesis stands rejected and the alternative hypothesis is approved i.e. there is a linear relationship between the dependent and independent variables.
Whilst the findings of the study are statistically significant for leverage, changes in revenue, market capitalization, and a decrease in tax rates, the results of the study at 5% level of significance are not statistically significant for net income. All in all, the study provides a greater understanding of the behavior of UK companies, specifically, their preferences towards earnings management and hence earnings quality in relation to statutory corporate income taxes rates. It is therefore expected to add significant value to this field of research and be of great value to academic circles. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:30:39Z |
| format | Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) |
| id | nottingham-36792 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:30:39Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-367922017-10-19T17:00:23Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/36792/ Impact of Tax Rate Changes on Earnings Quality: Evidence from the UK Shah, Chiraag The paper aims to ascertain whether there is an impact on the quality of earnings reported by corporates from changes in tax rates and to conclude whether any correlation exists between the tax rate changes and the current and discretionary accruals of the UK companies. The study hypothesizes whether a fall in the corporate tax rate would or would not reduce the company’s accruals in the year before a tax rate reduction. Findings of the research (as statistically illustrated by the multiple regression analysis) reveal that 17.2% of the variation in current accruals is attributable to changes on net income, debt, changes in top line, market capitalization, and the decrease in tax. It thus follows that tax decrease, market capitalization of the firm, and changes in total revenue have a significant effect on the discretionary accruals. The null hypothesis stands rejected and the alternative hypothesis is approved i.e. there is a linear relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Whilst the findings of the study are statistically significant for leverage, changes in revenue, market capitalization, and a decrease in tax rates, the results of the study at 5% level of significance are not statistically significant for net income. All in all, the study provides a greater understanding of the behavior of UK companies, specifically, their preferences towards earnings management and hence earnings quality in relation to statutory corporate income taxes rates. It is therefore expected to add significant value to this field of research and be of great value to academic circles. 2016-09-15 Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/36792/1/Impact%20of%20Tax%20Rate%20Changes%20on%20Earnings%20Quality%20-%20Evidence%20from%20the%20UK.pdf Shah, Chiraag (2016) Impact of Tax Rate Changes on Earnings Quality: Evidence from the UK. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] |
| spellingShingle | Shah, Chiraag Impact of Tax Rate Changes on Earnings Quality: Evidence from the UK |
| title | Impact of Tax Rate Changes on Earnings Quality:
Evidence from the UK |
| title_full | Impact of Tax Rate Changes on Earnings Quality:
Evidence from the UK |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Tax Rate Changes on Earnings Quality:
Evidence from the UK |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Tax Rate Changes on Earnings Quality:
Evidence from the UK |
| title_short | Impact of Tax Rate Changes on Earnings Quality:
Evidence from the UK |
| title_sort | impact of tax rate changes on earnings quality:
evidence from the uk |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/36792/ |