A b s tr a c tThis study is conducted on companies in Indonesia during 2012-2015. This research is conducted to test whether manager performs earnings management to avoid negative earnings. This study also examines the effect of the mechanism of audit committee on earnings management. This study provides empirical evidence that manager performs earnings management to avoid negative earnings by increasing production costs and minimizing cash flow from operations. This study also provides empirical evidence that the mechanism of audit committee which consist of the size of audit committee, expertise of audit committee, as well as the audit committee meeting has no effect on earnings management by increasing production costs and minimizing cash flow from operations.