CFO Characteristics and Real Earnings Management

We examine whether the characteristics of chief financial officers (CFOs) are associated with real earnings management (REM). Using hand-collected data on CFOs’ characteristics, we find that female CFOs and highly visible CFOs are associated with lower levels of REM, while CFOs with an MBA or with an accounting background are associated with higher levels of REM. Our analyses also reveal that the combination of CFOs’ characteristics is important for understanding the association between CFO profiles and REM. Overall, this study identifies the potential profiles of CFOs who are more likely to implement business strategies aimed at managing earnings.