Quadrophobia: Strategic Rounding of EPS Data

Nadya Malenko, Joseph A. Grundfest and Yao Shen

Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, 2023, vol. 58, issue 8, 3231-3273

Abstract: Managers’ incentives to round up reported earnings per share (EPS) cause an underrepresentation of the number 4 in the first post-decimal digit of EPS, or “quadrophobia.” We develop a novel measure of aggressive financial reporting practices based on a firm’s history of quadrophobia. Quadrophobia is pervasive, persistent, and successfully predicts future restatements, Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement actions, and class action litigation. It is more pronounced when executive compensation is more closely tied to the stock price and when the firm anticipates violating debt covenants. Quadrophobia is especially strong when rounding-up EPS allows firms to meet analyst expectations, and investors seem not to see through this behavior.

Date: 2023
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