GAAP-adjusted earnings disclosures by New Zealand companies

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liz Rainsbury ◽  
Carol Hart ◽  
Nonthipoth Buranavityawut
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Earnings ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
The Global Financial Crisis

Purpose – This paper aims to examine motivations for the reporting of generally accepted accounting practice (GAAP)-adjusted earnings by New Zealand companies. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses multivariate analysis of data from New Zealand company annual reports for the period from 2004 to 2012. Findings – Evidence suggests that management of some New Zealand firms are motivated to use GAAP-adjusted earnings to provide a more favourable impression of earnings. However, across firms, these adjusted earnings provide a better predictor of future earnings and provide more value-relevant information to the market than GAAP earnings. Thus, a desire to disclose a more accurate indicator of permanent earnings appears to be a strong factor in the reporting of GAAP-adjusted earnings. Research limitations/implications – The study uses firms listed on the New Zealand share market. The number of firms examined is small, but we compensate by studying the entire population, thus avoiding sampling issues. The results suggest that New Zealand’s regulatory response of recommending guidelines for reporting alternative earnings measures is appropriate. Originality/value – The study contributes to the literature on the relationship between reporting statutory earnings and non-GAAP earnings. It uses a period that includes three major events in the New Zealand economy and reporting environment: the adoption of international financial reporting standards, a change in tax law and the global financial crisis. Recognition of these events allows us to better interpret the GAAP-adjusted reporting practices taken by managers.

scholarly journals Burning the buffer: New Zealand's budgetary response to COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Ball
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Balance Sheet ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Net Worth ◽  
Fiscal Impacts ◽  
Financial Management System ◽  
The Global Financial Crisis

PurposeThe New Zealand Government has progressively strengthened its balance sheet position since the mid-1990s, other than for the four years immediately following the global financial crisis and the Canterbury earthquakes. This paper describes the nature and the forecast and actual fiscal impacts of the COVID-19 response, and identifies the transparency mechanisms which reveal these impacts. It also expresses a viewpoint on the implications of the COVID-19 response for the future resilience of the Government's fiscal position.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on the suite of official budgetary documents to demonstrate both the transparency of the disclosures on the COVID-19 impact and the substance of the forecast and actual fiscal impacts.FindingsThe paper reveals the change in the long-term fiscal aspirations of the New Zealand Government from one of achieving and maintaining a significant net worth buffer, to one which accommodates in the long-term a markedly smaller buffer and lower level of net worth.Originality/valueThe public financial management system in New Zealand is notable for its transparency. The Government's response to the pandemic is used to illustrate the nature and extent of that transparency.

An investigation of the level of compliance with international accounting standards (IAS 1) by listed firms in Bahrain Bourse

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 254-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatema Ebrahim Alrawahi ◽  
Adel Mohammed Sarea
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
International Accounting ◽  
International Accounting Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Industry Type ◽  
Regulatory Bodies

Purpose This study aims to investigate the association between seven firm-specific characteristics and the level of mandatory compliance with International Accounting Standards (IAS) 1 by firms listed on Bahrain Bourse. Design/methodology/approach A disclosure index is used to measure the extent of compliance with IAS 1. Each of the 36 sampled firms’ annual reports were examined against the index for the financial year ending December 31, 2013. Findings The results reveal an overall compliance of 83 per cent. Regression results report that only audit firm size, profitability and industry type have a positive and significant association with IAS 1 disclosure requirements. Practical implications This study should be particularly relevant to regulatory bodies in Bahrain for strategizing and encouraging compliance with IAS 1 by listed firms. Originality/value Additionally, the study contributes to financial reporting literature relating to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, mainly Bahrain. Bahrain is a financial hub, and it is interesting to examine how it presents its financial statements to investors and the degree of its compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards since its adoption in 2007.

Independent monitoring and review functions in a financial reporting context

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 268-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albertus Louw ◽  
Warren Maroun
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Corporate Reporting ◽  
Independent Review

Purpose Independent monitoring and review bodies have become a defining feature of the professional accounting and auditing space. Exactly how these institutions function to improve the quality of the corporate reporting or audit function is, however, poorly understood. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to provide empirical evidence on how the activities of an independent review process functions on individual preparers, auditors and those charged with an organisation’s governance. Design/methodology/approach The study is an interpretive one. Data are collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed by the researchers. Findings The review function performed by an independent body results in companies being more aware of the need for compliance with the applicable financial reporting standards. Independent reviews also act as a process of examination which functions at the level of the individual accountant, auditor or director. These subjects of regulation report an added sense of accountability to their respective employer and profession and a heightened awareness of the need for high-quality corporate reporting. Research limitations/implications Independent monitoring and review bodies are not just symbolic displays which reassure uninformed users that the quality of financial statements are sound. Examination of financial statements and identification of non-compliance with the applicable financial reporting standards drive actual changes in reporting practices. Originality/value This study complements the predominantly positivist financial reporting research which does not deal with precisely how the work of regulatory bodies operates on the subjects of regulation. The research makes an important practical contribution by providing empirical evidence in support of laws and regulations which promote independent review of the accounting profession.

Intellectual capital: mediator of board of directors’ effectiveness and adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zainabu Tumwebaze ◽  
Juma Bananuka ◽  
Kassim Alinda ◽  
Kalembe Dorcus
Keyword(s):  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
International Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: to test whether intellectual capital mediates the relationship between board of directors’ effectiveness and adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and to examine the contribution of the specific elements of intellectual capital and board of directors’ effectiveness to adoption of IFRS. Design/methodology/approach This study is cross-sectional. Usable questionnaires were received from 67 microfinance institutions (MFIs) that are members of the Association of MFIs of Uganda. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences and MedGraph program (Excel version). Findings Results indicate that intellectual capital mediates the relationship between board of directors’ effectiveness and adoption of IFRS. Results further indicate that board independence and board meetings contribute significantly to the adoption of IFRS unlike board size and board committees. Results also indicate that in the intellectual capital elements, only structural capital and human capital significantly contribute to the adoption of IFRS unlike relational capital. Originality/value This study provides more insights on our understanding of the relationship between intellectual capital, board of directors’ effectiveness and adoption of IFRS. Specifically, it provides first time evidence of the mediation effect of intellectual capital in the relationship between board of directors’ effectiveness and adoption of IFRS using evidence from an African developing country – Uganda. Further, this paper adds to existing literature on corporate governance and reporting practices, as it provides more insights on the contribution of specific elements of board of directors’ effectiveness and intellectual capital to adoption of IFRS.

Income return versus capital appraisal for real estate funds during the financial crisis

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-79
Author(s):  
Gianluca Mattarocci ◽  
Georgios Siligardos
Keyword(s):  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Real Estate ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Capital Gains ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Income Sources ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
The Global Financial Crisis ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The overall performance of real estate funds can be ascribed to capital appreciation and/or income return. The Italian property funds market has grown significantly over the past few years; however, little is known about the key drivers of property fund performance. The purpose of this paper is to measure the impact of two sources of funds’ performance and identify their relevance during the financial crisis. Design/methodology/approach – The paper considers the Italian market in the last decade and analyses the annual reports of public real estate funds, separating appraisal returns from income returns. By considering a wide time horizon, it evaluates if the roles of income returns and capital gains with respect to overall performance are more or less influenced by fund characteristics, such as asset diversification, concentration, and leverage. Findings – The contribution of income return and capital growth are not strictly related to the overall performance of Italian real estate funds, with a significantly lower correlation during the global financial crisis. Furthermore, the main drivers of the two income sources are not strictly comparable. Originality/value – The paper presents the first analysis on the source of income return for the Italian real estate funds and it represents one of the few studies that considers the effect of the financial crisis on European indirect real estate investments, capital appreciation and income return.

scholarly journals Impaired translations: IFRS from English and annual reports into English

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 1981-2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Nobes ◽  
Christian Stadler
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
English Language ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
English Translations ◽  
Core Section ◽  
One Year

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine translation in the context of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by taking the example of the English term “impairment” in IAS 36, and following it into 19 translations. The paper then examines the terms used for impairment in English translations of annual reports provided by firms. Consideration is given to the best approach for translating regulations and whether that is also suitable for the translation of annual reports. Design/methodology/approach The two empirical parts of the paper involve: first, identifying the terms for impairment used in 19 official translations of IAS 36, and second, examining English-language translations of reports provided by 393 listed firms from 11 major countries. Findings Nearly all the terms used for “impairment” in translations of IAS 36 do not convey the message of damage to assets. In annual reports translated into English, many terms are misleading in that they do not mention impairment, peaking at 39 per cent in German and Italian reports in one year. Research limitations/implications Researchers should note that the information related to impairment in international databases is likely to contain errors, and the authors recommend that data should be hand-collected and then carefully checked by experts. The authors make suggestions for further research. Practical implications Translators of regulations should aim to convey the messages of the source documents, but translators of annual reports should not look only at the reports but also consult the terminology in the original regulations. The authors also suggest implications for regulators and analysts. Originality/value The paper innovates by separately considering regulations and annual reports. The authors examine a key accounting term systematically into a wide range of official translations. The core section of the paper is a new field of research: an empirical study of the translations of firms’ financial statements.

An analysis of SEC comment letters and IFRS

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl L. Linthicum ◽  
Andrew J. McLelland ◽  
Michael A. Schuldt
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Securities And Exchange Commission ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Financial Accounting Standards Board ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Comment Letters

Purpose This study investigates the influence of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the interpretation and application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by examining a group of SEC-selected foreign private issuers filing 2005 annual reports in the USA and reporting using IFRS for the first time. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses hand-collected information from SEC comment letters to analyze IFRS topics and documents the ultimate resolution of each SEC comment (no change to filing, current change to filing or prospective change to future filing). The authors use descriptive statistical analyses, as well as a logistic regression model involving the resolution of each SEC comment, to examine the SEC’s influence on the interpretation of IFRS. Findings The study finds both higher comment totals, and higher numbers of required filing modifications, for those IFRS pronouncements which were identified as needing improvement during the 2006-2008 convergence efforts by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). Additionally, the study documents a decreasing likelihood of a filing modification when US generally accepted accounting principles (US GAAP) guidance is referenced in comment letter correspondence involving IFRS topics. Originality/value The study extends the IFRS literature and the SEC comment letter literature by focusing on the resolution of comments directed at IFRS disclosures, as well as exploring the factors which influence whether a comment ultimately requires a filing modification.

How to measure country-level financial reporting quality?

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingliang Tang ◽  
Huifa Chen ◽  
Zhijun Lin
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Accounting Standard ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Country Level ◽  
International Investors ◽  
International Convergence

Purpose The purpose of this study is to measure the financial reporting quality of 38 main countries (regions) in the world from 2000 to 2014. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses six accounting and auditing indicators to construct a comprehensive index for the measurement of country-level financial reporting quality. To test the validity of the methodology, the index to test institutional impacts on national financial reporting quality is used. Findings It was found that the results are consistent with the predictions and previous studies. The evidence suggests that the quality measure in this paper is innovative and appropriate and can provide a useful tool for researchers who are concerned with financial reporting quality at the country level. Originality/value The study is the first in the literature to use both accounting and auditing data to construct financial reporting quality indicators. The study should help international investors assess investment risks in foreign financial markets so as to make an informed decision. In addition, the diversity of financial reporting practices documented in the paper should prompt market regulators, accounting standard setters and professional accounting bodies to reinforce the efforts on international convergence of accounting and financial reporting standards and practices.

scholarly journals The three pillars of institutional theory and IFRS implementation in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 575-599
Author(s):  
Igbekele Sunday Osinubi
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Institutional Entrepreneur ◽  
Institutional Actors ◽  
Ifrs Implementation

PurposeThis study explores the effects of the three pillars of institutional theory in shaping the activities of institutional entrepreneurs and other social actors during International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) implementation in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a document analysis method to achieve the objectives of the study.FindingsThis study finds that IFRS implementation in Nigeria witnessed some progression from regulative to normative to cognitive pillar building. The regulation on IFRS implementation was initiated top-down rather than through lobbying from professional accounting bodies and the public. Changes in the regulatory framework brought some improvement to corporate financial reporting practices such as the timing of corporate filings of audited financial reports. However, the implementation process is laden with conflicts and power struggle among institutional actors. These conflicts and power struggles led the President of Nigeria to sack the Board of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), the reconstitution of the Board and appointment of a Chairman for the Board of the FRC.Practical implicationsIFRS implementation process resulted in power redistribution among institutional actors, which led to resistance, tensions and conflicts among institutional actors. The conflicts arise from the need of actors to legitimate their activities and secure their positions. The three institutional pillars are key components of a change process and the actor's social position affects their capability to act as an institutional entrepreneur.Originality/valueThis finding should provide foundational knowledge that will inform practitioners, researchers and regulators in developing countries on how institutional actors shape the approach to corporate reporting regulations.

The value relevance and reliability of intangible assets

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 182-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu-Dong Ji ◽  
Wei Lu
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Intangible Assets ◽  
Value Relevance ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Accounting Standard ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Relevance And Reliability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the value relevance of intangible assets, including goodwill and other types of intangibles in the pre- and post-adoption periods of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Most importantly, this paper investigates whether the value relevance of reported intangible assets is associated with their value reliability. Furthermore, this paper reports whether the adoption of IFRS improves the value relevance of intangible assets and alters the relationship between value relevance and reliability. Design/methodology/approach – Both price and return models based on Ohlosn theory (1995) are employed to test the value relevance and value reliability of intangibles. Australian-listed firms with capitalised intangibles from 2001 to 2009 are selected in this study. The sample includes 6,650 firm-year observations. Findings – The main result shows that capitalised intangible assets are value relevant in Australia, in both the pre- and post-adoption of IFRS periods. Value relevance is higher in firms with more reliable information on intangible assets. This study finds that the value relevance of intangibles has declined in the post-adoption period of IFRS. However, the positive relationship between the value relevance and the reliability of intangibles has remained unchanged in the post-adoption period. Originality/value – The paper contributes a new measurement of value reliability of accounting information about intangibles. This paper is one of few studies on the relationship between value relevance and reliability of intangible assets. The results show that value relevance is positively associated with value reliability. This suggests that, when accounting standard setters assess whether the existing IFRS of intangibles should be improved in the future, they need to think not only in terms of whether the standard can provide more relevant information of intangibles to investors but also whether the standard can make the information of intangibles more reliable.

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