The Embellishment of Bottom Line through Hyperbole of Accrued Earnings: A Case of Deliberate Earnings Management of a Non-bank Financial Institution Enlisted in Dhaka Stock Exchange and Chittagong Stock Exchange

Abstract

The study has tried to find out the key parameters through which a non-bank financial institution can embellish its earnings. The study has found that loan loss provisions increases in line with the increase in loan and advances and interest suspense. Moreover, non-bank financial institutions always report other assets except accounts receivable figure which foreshadows an existence of deliberate inflation of earnings. The study has found a positive impact of total loan loss provisions and interest suspense on accrued income, a clear message that non-bank financial institutions always report more accrued earnings to safeguard their profit. Increase in accrued income in line with total loan loss provision and interest suspense is also validated by increase in accrued income with respect to other assets except accounts receivable figure even though the impact of other assets on accrued income is insignificant at 5% level, an accounting channel through which excess other assets except accounts receivable would be inflated for excess increase in accrued income. The study has deduced that other assets except accounts receivable is a reserve bank for discretionary inflation of earnings even though it is insignificant. The study has used time series monthly data of International Leasing and Financial Services Limited, a non-bank financial institution from 2009-2015 reported in the Statement of NBDC sent to Bangladesh Bank each month. Two-time series models have been used in this study. The first model has tried to find out the impact of loan and advances, interest suspense, and other assets except accounts receivable on total loan loss provision. In the first model, there is a significant impact of loan and advances, interest suspense, and other assets except accounts receivable on total loan loss provision. The second model has tried to discern the impact of total loan loss provision, interest suspense, and other assets on accrued income along with other independent variables namely-loan and advances, total fixed assets, and operating income. The study has found a significant positive impact of total loan loss provision and interest suspense on accrued income and insignificant impact of other assets except accounts receivable on accrued income. For both models, there is no long-run relationship among the variables.