Journal of Navigation and Port Research (한국항해항만학회지)

Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research (한국항해항만학회)
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Study on the Relationship between Capital Structure and Earning Management in the Korean Shipping Companies

해운기업의 자본구조와 이익조정 간의 관계에 관한 연구

  • Lee, Sung-Yhun (School of Port and Logistics, Kaya University) ;
  • Ahn, Ki-Myung (Division of Shipping Management, Korea Maritime and Ocean University)
  • 이성윤 (가야대학교 항만물류학과) ;
  • 안기명 (한국해양대학교 해운경영학부)
  • Received : 2017.04.21
  • Accepted : 2017.07.26
  • Published : 2017.08.31
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Abstract

Earnings management is defined as an intentional act during the financial reporting process or a manager's choice of accounting policies to avoid earnings decreases or obtain some private gains. Shipping firms have a highly debt-intensive capital structure and a significant motivation in earnings management to avoid failure of a Debt Covenant. From this point of views, this paper tries to determine the relationship between the capital structure and discretionary accruals estimated using the re-modified Jones model (1995). The sample used to test the research models is made up of 87 Korean shipping firms during the period from 2007 to 2015. A histogram analysis, t-test and FGLS confirm the possibility of using earnings management, and it proved that Korean shipping firms manage their earnings to avoid financial loss. An analysis of the relationship between the capital structure and earning managements, shows it is difficult to support the Debt Covenant, shown as a negative relationship between the debt ratio and debt maturity as shipping firms' capital structure and discretionary accruals as earning management variable. An additional analysis presents a negative relationship between previous debt maturity and discretionary accruals, and the possibility of earning management in a highly increased debt ration group.

이익조정은 사적인 목적을 가지고 재무보고과정에 의도적으로 개입하거나, 이해관계자들에게 기업성과를 호도하는 일련의 과정 또는 선택을 의미한다. 해운기업의 경우 선박확보와 결부된 자본구조로 인해 부채계약을 위반할 가능성이 높고, 이에 따른 이익조정 동기 또한 타 산업에 비해 높은 특징을 가지게 된다. 이에 본 논문은 2007년 이후 87개 해운기업을 대상으로 해운기업의 이익관리여부를 확인함과 동시에 수정 Jones모형을 통해 도출된 재량적발생액과 자본구조변수와의 관계 및 해운기업의 이익조정행태를 알아보고자 하였다. 해운기업의 이익관리 가능성을 확인하기 위해 분포도와 차이분석 및 FGLS분석을 실시하였으며, 분석결과 0에 근접하여 손실을 본 기업들의 이익조정 즉, 이익관리 가능성을 관찰할 수 있었다. 또한 자본구조관련 변수와 재량적발생액에는 부(-)의 관련성이 관찰되어 국내 많은 연구들과 유사한 결과를 보여주었다. 현금흐름변수 또한 유의한 것으로 나타나, 국내기업의 현금흐름중시 경향이 자본구조와 재량적발생액사이에 부(-)의 관련성을 발생시킬 수 있다는 기존 연구를 뒷받침해 주었다. 해운기업의 이익관리행태에 대한 추가분석에서는 전기부채만기구조가 이익조정과 부(-)의 관련성을 보였으며, 부채비율이 급격히 증가한 집단에서 이익조정의 가능성이 더 큼을 확인할 수 있었다.

Keywords

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