Given the primary focus on the zero target, I use annual data for my tests. Recall that the preliminary patterns in CFO detected by Burgstahler and Dichev (1997) are in annual data. Further, the zero target is probably more important at the annual level, since a number of firms are likely to report losses at the quarterly level due to seasonality in business. Annual losses, on the other hand, are likely to be viewed more seriously by the numerous stakeholders of firms, such as lenders and suppliers, particularly because they are audited and considered more reliable. Thus, managers are likely to have greater incentives to avoid reporting annual losses.