Evidências do uso das Provisões no Gerenciamento de Resultados no Setor do Varejo durante a crise da COVID-19

Abstract

This research aims to demonstrate the influence of contingent provisions in retail sector companies listed on B3. The study covers 18 companies and seeks to analyze earnings management during the Covid-19 crisis period, spanning from 2020 to 2022, through the identification of discretionary accruals. The theoretical framework was developed through the analysis of articles published in journals, master's theses, national and international doctoral dissertations, and academic books. The research considered the application of models, such as the one proposed by Kothari, Leone, and Wasley (2005), to identify discretionary accruals. To operationalize the collected data, techniques such as multiple linear regression with panel data were employed, estimated by Generalized Least Squares - GLS. Data collection involved balance sheets, explanatory notes, audit reports, and financial indices disclosed by the studied companies. The research results revealed the practice of earnings management, evidenced by the positive relationship between the coefficients of provisions for inventory and discretionary accruals. The latter were used as a proxy for earnings management, estimated through the models used. The research highlights concerns about how provisions were treated during the pandemic and behavior regarding earnings management, especially in a sector as significant to the Brazilian economy as retail.