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CEO incentive compensation continues to increase, and its efficiency remains a highly debated topic. This study examines the effect of CEO incentive compensation and ownership type on the extent of real earnings management (REM). Through an empirical analysis of panel data of 108 French firms listed on the SBF 120 index, we show that the CEO incentives ratio is positively associated with the extent of REM. Furthermore, we find that CEOs of firms controlled by families or institutional investors engage less in REM when they have greater incentives. By contrast, State ownership does not have any effect on this relationship.