The Association between Earnings News and The Timing of Annual Earnings Announcements

This study examines whether managers exercise discretion in the timing of annual earnings announcements depending on the magnitude of unexpected earnings. We find a non-linear association between the timing of the earnings announcement and the amount of unexpected earnings. Specifically, managers tend to delay annual earnings announcements as the news becomes worse (better) in negative (positive) unexpected earnings. We also find that market returns on the magnitude of earnings surprises (Earnings Response Coefficient) are greater with the timely announcement of earnings only when firms miss their expected earnings.