Information Content of Earnings Announcements Around IFRS Adoption and a Simultaneous Change in Press Release Disclosure in Italy

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (02) ◽  
pp. 1950005
Author(s):  
Pureum Kim ◽  
Pier Luigi Marchini ◽  
Gianfranco Siciliano

This study examines the effect of a security regulation that occurs simultaneously with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption on the information content of earnings announcements in Italy. To identify the effect of this regulation, we use a treatment and a control sample of IFRS countries that vary in the adoption of the security regulation, but are similar along a set of accounting and institutional dimensions (Italy versus France, Belgium, and Portugal). We find that the increase in information content of earnings announcements is more pronounced in Italy (treatment sample). Further, we analyze non-earnings disclosures using 2106 earnings announcements and find that the inclusion of IFRS-based detailed financial statements in earnings announcements contributes to the increased informativeness of IFRS earnings announcements. Our results provide support to the notion that regulatory changes concurrent with IFRS adoption are necessary to yield capital-market benefits.

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas D’Angelo ◽  
Samir El-Gazzar ◽  
Rudolph A. Jacob

Purpose This paper aims to examine the characteristics of firms that voluntary disclose generally accepted accounting principals (GAAP)-compliant statements of income, statement of cash flows (SCF) and balance sheet (BS) concurrently with quarterly earnings releases. Cardinal motivation of the paper stems from the increasing demand over the past decade by professional analysts and the Securities and Exchange Commission for concurrent disclosure of GAAP-compliant financial statements with earnings’ announcements. Design/methodology/approach Using hand-collected archival data, a random sample was identified as disclosing GAAP-compliant SCF and BS with their quarterly earnings releases compared to a control sample identified as non-GAAP-compliant disclosing firms during the 36-month period of 2009-2011, and several hypotheses are tested to determine managements’ incentives to disclose GAAP-compliant versus non-GAAP financials with their earnings releases. Findings The results in this paper suggest that debt financing, corporate governance, operating performance, earnings volatility, industry membership (such as technology and more research and development-intensive) and complexity of operations (number of segments) are significant characteristics of firms electing to concurrently disclose GAAP-compliant SCF and BS with earnings releases. Practical implications The findings discussed in this paper are of special interest to financial reporting policymakers, financial analysts, firm managers and stakeholders and academics. Originality/value The voluntary disclosure literature on quarterly earnings releases is extended by differentiating between GAAP-compliant and non-GAAP-compliant voluntary disclosers. The specific findings of this study may provide valuable input to policymakers as they study prevailing voluntary disclosure rules and practices.


Author(s):  
Habeeb Mohamed Nijam ◽  
Athambawa Jahfer

The purpose of this review is to explore various approaches and perspectives that are currently being used by empirical studies reporting the impact of IFRS adoption in different jurisdictions around the globe. For this purpose to be better served, this study also presents at the outset an overview of the scope, objectives and current adoption status of IFRS. This study reviewed the literature on classifications of IFRS adoption studies with the view of deducting methodical frameworks outlining the dimensions that may warrant investigation for IFRS to be consented as a set of quality and global accounting standards. This study concludes that the success of IFRS as an international accounting standard depends on one hand in its technical quality economically yielding to both uses and reporters of financial statements and on the other hand their acceptance across different jurisdictions despite their political, cultural and economic diversities.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-250
Author(s):  
Jee Hoon Yuk ◽  
Wook Bin Leem

This study investigates whether earnings quality of Korean listed firms was substantially improved after the IFRS adoption in long-term aspect and which firms listed in KOSPI or KOSDAQ market had been more enjoyed the benefit. Prior studies related to this subject don’t provide consistent results and have a limitation of insufficiency of research periods. Therefore, this study analyzes the positive effect of the IFRS adoption in Korea using long-term based approach and comparative analysis on each Korean stock market. Furthermore, this study considered Korean specific institutional environment in which main financial statements prepared and disclosed by listed firms were changed from individual financial statements to consolidated financial statements after the IFRS adoption. Results of the study found that earnings quality of Korean listed firms had been significantly improved during 5 years after the IFRS adoption. In addition, earnings quality on consolidated financial statements of KOSDAQ listed firms has improved more than that of KOSPI listed firms. The results provide meaningful implications to evaluate the effects of IFRS adoption on earnings quality and to assess accomplishment of fundamental purpose of the IFRS adoption in Korea.


2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 947-979
Author(s):  
Oliver Nnamdi Okafor ◽  
Akinloye Akindayomi ◽  
Hussein Warsame

This article investigates whether the adoption of international financial reporting standards (IFRS) affected corporate tax avoidance in Canada. Based on a 3,200 firm-year data set of 400 publicly listed Canadian firms that adopted IFRS and 400 listed US firms, matched one-to-one using propensity score matching, the authors' regression results show that IFRS adoption was followed by a decrease in corporate tax avoidance in Canada, at least in the short run. The study finds a significant increase in cash tax paid in the post-adoption period by Canadian firms that adopted IFRS compared to US firms that used US generally accepted accounting principles. Additional regression results based on a small control sample of Canadian firms that did not adopt IFRS present collaborative evidence. The authors further test specific taxpayer attributes and accounting issues identified in Canada Revenue Agency internal memorandums—in particular, concerns that the adoption of IFRS may increase the risk of tax avoidance. While the authors find evidence that the IFRS firms that engaged in accrual management paid more taxes in the post-adoption period, their analysis provides no evidence of statistically significant relationships between IFRS adoption and tax avoidance associated with revenue management, ownership of foreign operations, industry membership, profitability, or impairment losses or writeoffs. Taken together, the authors' findings present preliminary but strong empirical evidence that IFRS adoption is associated with a decrease in corporate tax avoidance, at least in the short run.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 169
Author(s):  
Mezbah Uddin Ahmed

Comparability is one of the qualitative characteristics of financial statements that are prepared in compliance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The objective of this research is to identify whether this qualitative characteristic can be negated even when entities apply IFRS. In achieving the research objective, the depreciation policies adopted by the listed banks in Bangladesh are identified and compared with each other. This research finds that despite increasing effort by accounting standard setters and pressure groups to achieve IFRS-compliance and harmonization in accounting practices, non-compliance and divergence still exists. This research also finds that the divergence in depreciation practices can be of enough significance to negate comparability. The findings of this research expected to assist the international and national standard setters as well as the regulators in understanding the practical issues in implementing accounting standards and developing clearer IFRS implementation guidelines.


Author(s):  
Matthias Nnadi ◽  
Sailesh Tanna

Since the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the subsequent directive by the European Union (EU), all companies operating in the EU are required to report their consolidated financial statements in line with the IFRS. This study examines the consolidated financial statements of the top 170 listed companies in three major EU stock exchanges (UK, France and Germany) and uncovered a disparity in the use of common nomenclatures. The findings reveal that the inconsistencies in the application of terminologies such as statement of financial position instead of balance sheet and sequence of arrangement of assets in order of liquidity constitute the main differences for entities operating in the three countries. Such differences pose an imminent challenge in the comparability and interpretation of financial results.


2012 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 429-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel T. De George ◽  
Colin B. Ferguson ◽  
Nasser A. Spear

ABSTRACT This study provides evidence of a directly observable and significant cost of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption, by examining the fees incurred by firms for the statutory audit of their financial statements at the time of transition. Using a comprehensive dataset of all publicly traded Australian companies, we quantify an economy-wide increase in the mean level of audit costs of 23 percent in the year of IFRS transition. We estimate an abnormal IFRS-related increase in audit costs in excess of 8 percent, beyond the normal yearly fee increases in the pre-IFRS period. Further analysis provides evidence that small firms incur disproportionately higher IFRS-related audit fees. We then survey auditors to construct a firm-specific measure of IFRS audit complexity. Empirical findings suggest that firms with greater exposure to audit complexity exhibit greater increases in compliance costs for the transition to IFRS. Given the renewed debate about whether the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) should mandate IFRS for U.S. firms, our results are of timely importance. Data Availability: Data are publicly available from the sources identified in the paper. Survey response data are available from the authors upon request.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 523-541
Author(s):  
Christelle Smith ◽  
Elmar R. Venter

Purpose This paper aims to investigate financial statement comparability in the extractive industry. This paper focuses on the extractive industry because International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) contain limited guidance on the accounting treatment for exploration and evaluation (E&E) costs and IFRS 6 – Exploration for and Evaluation of Mineral Resources allowed firms to continue with existing divergent accounting treatment of E&E costs. Design/methodology/approach The authors use data from Australia, a country that adopted IFRS in 2005 with a large extractive industry. They also compare changes in cross-country comparability around the IFRS adoption date between Australian firms and adopters relative to Australian firms and non-adopters to better isolate changes in comparability that are attributable to the adoption of IFRS from other sources that are not related to the adoption of IFRS. The authors measure comparability consistent with De Franco et al. (2011) where financial statements are comparable when two firms produce similar accounting amounts for similar economic events. Findings For non-extractive industry firms, the authors find the comparability of financial statements of Australian firms increased with other adopters and that this increase was relatively greater than the increase with non-adopter firms. This evidence is consistent with comparability benefits associated with the adoption of IFRS. However, for extractive industry firms, the authors do not find a significantly greater increase in the comparability of financial statements of Australian firms with adopters relative to the increase with non-adopters, suggesting that the increase is likely not associated with the adoption of IFRS. In additional analysis, they find that following IFRS adoption non-extractive Australian firms have greater within-country comparability relative to extractive Australian firms, while there was no difference in the pre-adoption period. Originality/value The evidence suggests that the divergent practices for E&E costs under IFRS 6 and the lack of an accounting standard that deals with matters relating to the extractive industry hinder the comparability of financial statements in this industry.


Author(s):  
Aminu Abdullahi ◽  
Hadiza Ahmed Suleiman

The study assessed the perception of financial statement users on the extent of reporting quality following IFRS adoption in Nigeria. A comparative approach was utilized, where users’ (investors)opinions on reporting quality between the Statement of Accounting Standards (SAS) regime and the International Financial Reporting Standards regime were sought and compared. The results obtained from the structured Likert scale questionnaires were analyzed using the T-Test. It was found that all the qualitative characteristics of financial reporting which were used as reporting quality variables in the study have improved with the adoption of IFRS except for the extent of the ability of financial reports to confirm or correct prior user’s expectation which was discovered to be better during SAS regime. It was recommended that the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) should embark on advocacy aimed at educating investors’ especially, institutional on the issue of prediction and assessment of IFRS-based financial statements.


2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim Jamal ◽  
George J. Benston ◽  
Douglas R. Carmichael ◽  
Theodore E. Christensen ◽  
Robert H. Colson ◽  
...  

SYNOPSIS: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued a call for comment on a proposal to accept financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) without reconciliation to U.S. GAAP. Accounting researchers have attempted to assess the quality of IFRS using different methods and criteria. While we are skeptical of drawing direct conclusions about the SEC’s proposal based on this research, there is adequate evidence that both IFRS and U.S. GAAP provide useful information to investors and other users of financial statements. Moreover, we see no conclusive research evidence that financial reports prepared using U.S. GAAP are better than reports prepared using IFRS. The prudent approach when faced with alternatives with no clear difference in quality is to promote competition among them, which supports adopting the SEC’s proposal to permit foreign private issuers a choice between IFRS and U.S. GAAP. Furthermore, to help improve U.S. and international GAAP through standards-setting competition, we recommend that the Commission extend the choice of IFRS to U.S. companies, and require all companies to indicate clearly whether they are filing under U.S. GAAP or IFRS. Finally, we recommend that the Commission and its staff investigate and seek feedback on the educational consequences of its proposed actions. This attention will help educators to better prepare future professionals to implement these proposed regulatory changes.


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