This study examines the relationship between board characteristics and real earnings management in 91 non-financial firms listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange from 2018 to 2021. The research investigates the association of board size, board independence, the proportion of female directors, and the number of board meetings with real earnings management, as well as the moderating effect of managerial ownership on this relationship. The findings show that board size, board independence, and the proportion of female directors have a significant and negative effect on real earnings management, and that the number of board meetings has a significant positive relationship with real earnings management. The research also finds that the effect of board characteristics on real earnings management is strengthened by the presence of managerial ownership. This research contributes to the existing literature on corporate governance by providing insights into the association between board characteristics and real earnings management in the context of Saudi Arabia. The findings also have implications for improving corporate governance practices and enhancing earnings quality in emerging economies.

This paper examines the relationship between capital structure and firm performance and considers the moderating effect on this relationship of the issuance of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) 16. The study sample consists of 101 Saudi nonfinancial firms listed on the Tadawul between 2017 and 2020. The study uses two proxies for firm performance: an accounting-based measure using return on assets and a market-based measure using Tobin's q. Capital structure is measured using financial leverage. To avoid bias in the results, the study employs six control variables: growth, firm size, tangibility, risk, investment, and industry. The existing theory posits a positive relationship; however, using ordinary least squares regression, this study finds that high leverage firms in Saudi Arabia are associated with lower performance. IFRS 16 was only found to have a significantly positive impact on market performance.