Fair value accounting impact on decision-usefulness of accounting information: evidence from accounting standards update 2016–01 on the USinsurance industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott McGregor
Keyword(s):  
Stock Prices ◽  
Value Relevance ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Forecast Error ◽  
Fair Value ◽  
Forecast Errors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Earnings Volatility ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Equity Securities

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of ASU 2016–01 on the predictive value, the confirmatory value and the value relevance of earnings. One of the key provisions of ASU 2016–01 is the requirement that all changes in unrealized gains and losses on all equity securities are recognized in income instead of other comprehensive income (OCI) as under prior guidance (SFAS 115). Because many companies in the insurance industry are large holders of equity securities, the sample for this study consists of firms from the insurance industry. Design/methodology/approach The author compares the change in earnings volatility and analysts’ forecast error for the periods before and after adoption of ASU 2016–01, and the relationship between the percentages of assets invested in equity securities for both earnings volatility and analysts’ forecast error. Further, the author tests the price reaction at the time of the release of earnings using an event study. The author also tests the value reliance of earnings measured by the correlation of earnings and stock prices, as well as the change in earnings and stock returns. The association between investment gain/loss components of earnings, and OCI, with stock prices and returns is tested for value relevance. Findings The findings of this study show that earnings volatility and analysts’ forecast errors increased in the period after adopting ASU 2016–01 and an initial overreaction to earnings releases. Further, the investment gain/loss components of earnings and OCI are not value-relevant in this study and including unrealized gains/losses on equity securities in income decreased value relevance of earnings in the post-adoption period, particularly for firms with large equity investment portfolios. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to one industry and only represents the impact of ASU 2016–01 on that industry. Thus, there are opportunities to extend the research to other industries. Furthermore, the time-period of study since adopting ASU 2016–01 is limited to only two years and with the passage of time, a greater sample of post-ASU 2016–01 will be available for testing. Practical implications Standard setters considering recognizing fair value changes on all investment securities in income should consider the findings of this study. Further, industry participants affected by ASU 2016–01 should consider improving explanation of earnings to mitigate the initial misunderstanding of earning announcements found in this study. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study on the effects of ASU 2016–01 on volatility of earnings, earnings forecast errors, market reactions to earnings releases and the value relevance of earnings. This paper fills a gap in prior research by studying the effects of fair value on reported earnings, which is limited in prior research. This study contributes to the growing field of research on fair value accounting.

Corporate impact of carbon disclosures: a nonlinear empirical approach

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Mora Rodríguez ◽  
Francisco Flores Muñoz ◽  
Diego Valentinetti
Keyword(s):  
Insider Trading ◽  
Stock Prices ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Value Relevance ◽  
Moving Average ◽  
Online Search ◽  
Estimation Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Reporting ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of recent developments in corporate reporting, specifically from the carbon disclosure project (CDP) environment, in the evolution of European post-crisis financial markets. Design/methodology/approach Theoretical and instrumental advancements from nonlinear dynamics have been applied to the analysis of market behaviour and the online presence or reputation of major European listed banks. Findings The application of a nonlinear statistical methodology (i.e. the autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average [ARFIMA] estimation model) demonstrates the presence of a long history of collected data, thus indicating a certain degree of predictability in the time series. Also, this study confirms the existence of structural breakpoints, specifically the impact of the CDP reporting in both stock prices and online search trends of the sampled companies for certain periods. Research limitations/implications This study introduces new methodological perspectives in corporate reporting studies, as the application of nonlinear techniques can be more effective in capturing corporate transparency issues. A limitation to overcome is to explore whether the impact of reporting is different due to the specific reporting behaviour each company adopts. Practical implications The “breakpoint” concept should enlighten the importance to firms of providing more information in specific moments, which can impact on both traditional (i.e. stock prices) and modern (i.e. online popularity) performance metrics. Additionally, it should be taken into account by stakeholders, when analysing the accountability of firms to improve their decision-making processes and policymakers, for monitoring and contrasting speculative and insider trading activities. Social implications Online search trends represent a new public attitude to how society “measures” the effectiveness of firms’ disclosure behaviours. Originality/value Combining ARFIMA with structural break techniques can be regarded as a relevant and complementary addition to classic “market reaction” or “value relevance” techniques.

The Reliability of Fair Value versus Historical Cost Information: Evidence from Closed-End Mutual Funds

2003 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Carroll ◽  
Thomas J. Linsmeier ◽  
Kathy R. Petroni
Keyword(s):  
Stock Returns ◽  
Mutual Funds ◽  
Stock Prices ◽  
Stock Price ◽  
Value Relevance ◽  
Fair Value ◽  
Cost Information ◽  
G7 Countries ◽  
Historical Cost ◽  
Equity Securities

This research examines the value-relevance of fair value accounting relative to historical cost accounting for financial instruments held by closed-end mutual funds to provide evidence on the reliability of fair value estimation. Closed-end funds are considered because their balance sheets and income statements typically are reported at fair value and there is great variation in the types of securities held by various funds. For a sample of 143 closed-end mutual funds during 1982–1997, we find a significant association between stock prices and the fair value of investment securities, as well as between stock returns and fair value securities gains and losses, even after controlling for historical costs. To examine whether differences in the perceived reliability of the investment securities fair values affect investors' assessments of the usefulness of the information, we examine the association between stock price metrics and fair values across different fund types (e.g., publicly held equity securities from G7 countries, equity securities other than those publicly held from G7 countries, U.S. government or municipal securities, corporate bonds). We find that in all cases there is a significant association between the stock price metrics and fair values. This suggests that the need to estimate fair values for securities traded in thin markets, such as private or non-G7 equities, does not cause the incremental value-relevance of fair value information to be eliminated. Our strong and consistent findings in the closed-end fund setting suggest that reliability problems in measuring the fair values of investment securities are not the primary explanation for the inconsistency in prior research results; instead such inconsistency may be attributed to the incomplete availability of fair value measures in other settings.

The influence of IFRS mandatory adoption on value relevance of intangible assets in Italy

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-436
Author(s):  
Michela Cordazzo ◽  
Paola Rossi
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Stock Prices ◽  
Intangible Assets ◽  
Value Relevance ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ifrs Adoption ◽  
Start Up ◽  
The Impact

PurposeFollowing the mandatory IFRS adoption in 2005, the Continental European accounting systems changed. This study investigates if it influenced the value relevance of intangible assets in Italy.Design/methodology/approachTo measure the value relevance of intangible assets of non-financial firms listed on Borsa Italiana from 2000 to 2015, this study isolates the impact of several classes of intangible assets on stock prices and then classifies firms according to intangible asset intensity.FindingsGoodwill, intellectual property and other rights, start-up costs or other intangible assets are significantly correlated with stock prices when Italian accounting standards were applied prior to 2005, whereas research and development expenditures are not associated with stock prices. The mandatory IFRS adoption has exerted positive effects only for goodwill and research and development expenditures, and it is negative for start-up costs. Further, when intangible-intensive firms are considered in the post-IFRS adoption period, declining value relevance exists relative to intellectual property and other rights or research and development expenditures; goodwill and other intangible assets increase in value relevance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is subject to country-specific determinants and firm-specific characteristics. It treats accounting standards as exogenous, and the classification reflects the concentration of intangible assets in an industry. By relying on investors’ assessments of risk, it does not sufficiently explore the risk conveyed by future abnormal earnings and earnings volatility.Practical implicationsThis study offers insights for measuring and reporting intangible assets, by specifying that their value relevance depends on their level and aggregation.Originality/valueThis study investigates the value relevance of intangible assets in the post-IFRS period, in reference to intangible-intensive firms. It also divides intangible assets into several classes to specify the value relevance of goodwill.

Do non-staggered board elections matter to earnings quality and the value relevance of earnings and book value?

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuling Chiang ◽  
Gary Kleinman ◽  
Picheng Lee
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Stock Prices ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Value Relevance ◽  
Earnings Quality ◽  
Discretionary Accruals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Book Value ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of non-staggered voting for members of the board of directors on earnings quality and the value relevance of earnings and book value. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a sample of Taiwanese firms whose board was elected as a whole every three years from 2003 to 2013. The authors used multiple regression analysis to test whether board of directors elections and corporate governance affected earnings quality and the value relevance of earnings and book value. Findings The authors found that elections led to lower earnings quality, but better corporate governance led to greater earnings quality. In the presence of board elections, earnings have reduced value relevance but book value had increased value relevance. Finally, given board elections, the relative value relevance of earnings and book value on stock price was not fully moderated by strong corporate governance. Research limitations/implications The results presented here indicate the importance of better corporate governance in diffusing suspicions of management occasioned by the use of discretionary accruals in years in which board elections take place. Better corporate governance regimes led to a more positive relationship of discretionary accruals to earnings persistence, even in the presence of directorial elections. Similarly, better corporate governance regimes led to a more positive relationship between earnings per share and stock prices. Limitations include the restriction of the testing locale to Taiwan. That said, many companies around the globe use non-staggered board elections. Accordingly, these results suggest issues of importance to corporate governance advocates beyond Taiwan as well. Originality/value This study deepens the field’s understanding of the impact of corporate governance arrangements and schedules for electing board of directors’ members on issues of interest to stockholders.

Fair value and banking contagion

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leila Gharbi ◽  
Halioui Khamoussi
Keyword(s):  
Data Model ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Fair Value ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Fair Value Accounting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gcc Countries ◽  
Conventional Banks ◽  
Value Changes ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to explore empirically the impact of fair value accounting on banking contagion in a comparative context between Islamic banks and conventional banks. Design/methodology/approach The analysis of the impact of fair value changes on banking contagion is carried out through a panel data model. This study covers 20 Islamic banks and 40 conventional banks operating in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries during nine years from 2003 to 2011. Findings Empirical evidence shows that there is a significant change in dynamic volatility in GCC banking sector because of financial crisis 2008. However, results fail to confirm the hypothesis that fair value accounting is significantly associated with an increase of banking contagion for both Islamic and conventional banks operating in GCC countries. Originality/value The outcome of this study provides some insights for academicians, accountants as well as regulators in terms of enhancing the effectiveness of accounting practices.

Market reactions to the inclusion of people with disabilities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Araceli Hernández González
Keyword(s):  
Event Study ◽  
Stock Prices ◽  
Stock Price ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Market Reactions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
Research Advance ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study aims to provide evidence of market reactions to organizations' inclusion of people with disabilities. Cases from financial journals in 1989–2014 were used to analyze the impact of actions taken by organizations to include or discriminate people with disabilities in terms of the companies' stock prices.Design/methodology/approachThis research is conducted as an event study where the disclosure of information on an organization's actions toward people with disabilities is expected to impact the organization's stock price. The window of the event was set as (−1, +1) days. Stock prices were analyzed to detect abnormal returns during this period.FindingsResults support the hypotheses that investors value inclusion and reject discrimination. Furthermore, the impact of negative actions is immediate, whereas the impact of positive actions requires at least an additional day to influence the firm's stock price. Some differences among the categories were found; for instance, employment and customer events were significantly more important to a firm's stock price than philanthropic actions. It was observed that philanthropic events produce negative abnormal returns on average.Originality/valueThe event study methodology provides a different perspective to practices in organizations regarding people with disabilities. Moreover, the findings in this research advance the literature by highlighting that organizations should consider policies and practices that include people with disabilities.

Toward an optimal hedging strategy considering earnings volatility through fair value accounted financial derivatives

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 310-327
Author(s):  
Eva Marie Ebach ◽  
Michael Hertel ◽  
Andreas Lindermeir ◽  
Timm Tränkler
Keyword(s):  
Fair Value ◽  
Income Smoothing ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Financial Industry ◽  
Fair Value Accounting ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Earnings Volatility ◽  
Market Values ◽  
Optimal Hedging

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine a financial institution's optimal hedging degree under consideration of costly earnings volatility induced by fair value accounted derivatives. The discussion on the adoption of fair value accounting in the financial industry has been rather controversial in recent years. Under this accounting regime, the change in market values of specific assets must be considered as profit or loss. Critics argue that fair value accounting induces higher earnings volatility compared to historical cost accounting and, therefore, may initiate a downward spiral during recessions. Thus, increased earnings volatility induces costs, which can be explained by disappointed capital market expectations. Consequently, in general, a lowering of earnings volatility will be rewarded. Consistent with this theoretical finding, empirical research provides strong evidence that companies pursue income smoothing to reduce earnings volatility. In contrast to industrial corporations, financial institutions may easily reduce their earnings volatility by engaging in additional hedging activities. However, more intense hedging usually reduces expected profits. Design/methodology/approach Based on a research project initiated by a large German bank, this study quantitatively models the trade-off between the (utility of) costs of earnings volatility and the reduction of profit potential through additional hedging. Findings By conducting sensitivity analyses and simulations of the crucial factors of the trade-off, we examine relevant causal relationships to obtain first indications about the economic benefits of income smoothing. Originality/value To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to develop an optimization model that supports decision-making by attempting to determine an optimal (additional) hedging degree considering the costs induced by earnings volatility.

Board composition and value relevance of Ghanaian firms: a seemingly unrelated regression approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebenezer Agyemang Badu ◽  
Ebenezer Nyarko Assabil
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Firm Value ◽  
Value Relevance ◽  
Practical Implication ◽  
Seemingly Unrelated Regression ◽  
Board Composition ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Unrelated Regression ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the connection between board composition and value relevance of financial information in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a panel data of 144 firm-year observations of listed firms in Ghana.FindingsThe study finds that a higher fraction of independent directors is associated with lower firm value. The study further finds that board size is positively related to firm value, whereas duality is negatively associated with firm value.Practical implicationsThe practical implication of this paper is that investors and regulators should be mindful that specifying governance composition should not only be based on “so-called” codes of best practices but also the level of the country's or the sector's development and local institutional structures.Originality/valueThis study uses five different measurements of market share and considers the impact of the provision of the Code of Best Practices in Ghana.

Corporate governance and value relevance of accounting information

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-262
Author(s):  
Hesham I. Almujamed ◽  
Mishari M. Alfraih
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Value Relevance ◽  
Accounting Information ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Board Size ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Book Value ◽  
Board Characteristics ◽  
Market Participants ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to explore how the characteristics of the board of directors (BoD) shape earnings and book value information available to market participants. Design/methodology/approach The authors investigated the impact of board size, presence of non-executives and role duality as proxies of effective corporate governance on the value relevance of financial reporting for 178 firms on the Kuwait stock exchange in 2013. Regression analysis based on Ohlson’s (1995) valuation model was used to test hypotheses. Findings The authors found that board size was significantly associated with company value and that Kuwaiti firms with large boards increased the value-relevance of earnings and book value. The influence of role duality was positive although not significant. The presence of non-executives on the board had a negative correlation with market value (not significant). Research limitations/implications These findings deliver empirical support for the prediction that the characteristics of the BoD improve the value relevance of financial reporting. Limitations such as small sample size and one-year duration of the study did not negate the basic findings, however. Future studies will use larger samples, longer duration and additional board characteristics. Practical implications This study provides empirical support for the hypothesis that board size influences market valuation. This study may benefit managers, investors and other decision-makers. Originality/value This study delivers empirical evidence on the impact of board characteristics on the value relevance of accounting information. It will be useful for regulators and market participants monitoring the influence of board characteristics on the value relevance of accounting information.

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