5. Conclusion
In this paper, we address three issues related to earnings management using
changes in ETRs between the third and fourth quarters. First, we investigate a
potential alternative explanation to the “last-chance earnings management” findings
of DGM 2004, controlling for tax-planning investment using tax fees paid to
auditors as our proxy. We find evidence that tax fees paid to auditors significantly
impact firms’ third-to-fourth-quarter changes in ETRs for firms that would miss
consensus earnings forecasts absent tax expense management. Specifically, we find
that, among firms that would miss their consensus earnings forecasts without ETR
changes, higher levels of tax fees paid to auditors are associated with greater thirdto-
fourth-quarter ETR reductions. We continue to find support for the earnings
management explanation for changes in ETRs proposed by DGM 2004.