Revisiting conditional accounting conservatism in state-controlled firms

This study explores the demand for conditional accounting conservatism from equity shareholders in state-controlled firms. An investigation of state-controlled firms listed on Hong Kong Stock Exchange from 1997 to 2013 shows that the extent of conditional conservatism in state-controlled firms increases when the leverage ratio decreases. It is also found that the high control rights held by the government in state-controlled firms are associated with high conditional conservatism. In addition, further analyses document an offsetting effect between high control rights and firm leverage; a reinforcing effect between high control rights and year of incorporation after 1992; and a substituting effect between high control rights and dividend payments. These findings suggest that the demand from equity shareholders, in addition to the debt demand, can be an important determinant of conditional conservatism and examination of these differing sources of demand can enhance the understanding on accounting conservatism in state-controlled firms.