The Information Content of Credit Ratings: The Impact of Financial Scandals and Regulation

Author(s):  
Ginevra Marandola ◽  
Rossella Mossucca
2011 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Joe ◽  
Arnold Wright, and ◽  
Sally Wright

SUMMARY We present evidence on the resolution of proposed audit adjustments during a unique time period, immediately following several U.S. financial scandals and surrounding calls for reforms in auditing and financial reporting, which culminated in the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX). During this period, auditors and their clients faced increased scrutiny from investors and regulators. In addition, auditors had to contend with changed incentives, a new external regulator (i.e., the PCAOB), and upcoming annual PCAOB inspections. We extend prior studies by considering a broader range of factors potentially impacting the resolution of proposed adjustments, including the effect of client tenure, strength of internal controls, and repeat adjustments. Data on 458 proposed adjustments are obtained from the working papers of a sample of 163 audit engagements conducted during 2002 by a Big 4 firm. We find that 24.2 percent of proposed adjustments were subsequently waived. The results indicate audit adjustments are more likely to be waived for clients with whom the audit firm has had a longer relationship, although the pattern does not reflect favoring such clients. We also find that adjustments are more likely to be waived for repeat adjustments. Data Availability: Due to a confidentiality agreement with the participating audit firm the data are proprietary.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuyan Cai

This article takes the companies that publicly issued corporate bonds on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2006 to 2018 as the research objects selecting six aspects that comprehensively reflect the 17 financial variables in 6 aspects: profitability, operating ability, bond repayment ability, development ability, cash flow and market value of the company. Principal component analysis method and factor analysis method are used to extract the principal factors of these financial indicator variables. That is how an ordered multi-classification Logistic regression model is constructed to test the impact of the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges’ financial status on the corporate bond credit rating. It turns out that the financial status of the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges have an important impact on the credit rating of corporate bonds. The financial status has a greater impact on corporate bonds with credit ratings of A- and AA-, while it has a smaller impact on corporate bonds with credit ratings above AA. The results of this article can help individual and institutional investors prevent risks from investing.


2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  

Purpose- Aim of this study was to investigate whether the credit rating is an important determinant other than the firm's characteristic to obtain optimal capital structure focusing on the research hypothesis that the firms with higher credit along with the other factors (FTOA, ROA and Size) tend to have more debt in their capital structure of firms rated by P?CR? and Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE). Methodology/Sample- For this research, sample size of 48 observations (3 years data of 16 firms) was taken on the basis of convenience sampling. Results obtained by using Ordinary Least Square Model (OLS) as statistical tool to test the hypothesis Findings- Analysis clearly suggested that credit ratings do have an impact on firm's capital structure. It was concluded that firms with higher credit ratings along with other factors (FTOA, ROA and Size) do not tend to have more debt in their capital structure. Implications- Outcomes of this research might help investors, debtors and other stakeholders of the firms (rated by PACRA) to understand the impact of credit rating on firm's debt ratio and the overall dynamics and mechanism of capital structure.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Supriyo De ◽  
Sanket Mohapatra ◽  
Dilip Ratha

Purpose Relative risk ratings measure the degree by which a country’s sovereign rating is better or worse than other countries (Basu et al., 2013). However, the literature on the impacts of sovereign ratings on capital flows has not covered the role of relative risk ratings. This paper aims to examine the effect of relative risk ratings on private capital flows to emerging and frontier market economies is filled. In the analysis, the effect of relative risk ratings to that of absolute sovereign ratings in influencing private capital flows are compared. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines the influence of sovereign credit ratings and relative risk ratings on private capital flows to 26 emerging and frontier market economies using quarterly data for a 20-year period between 1998 and 2017. A dynamic panel regression model is used to estimate the relationship between ratings and capital flows after controlling for other factors that can influence capital flows such as growth and interest rate differentials and global risk conditions. Findings The analysis finds that while absolute sovereign credit ratings were an important determinant of net capital inflows prior to the global financial crisis in 2008, the influence of relative risk ratings increased in the post-crisis period. The post-crisis effect of relative ratings appears to be driven mostly by portfolio flows. The main results are robust to an alternate measure of capital flows (gross capital flows instead of net capital flows), to the use of fixed gross domestic product weights in calculating relative risk ratings and to the potential endogeneity of absolute and relative ratings. Originality/value This study advances the literature on being the first attempt to understand the impact of relative risk ratings on capital flows and also comparing the impact of absolute sovereign ratings and relative risk ratings on capital flows in the pre- and post-global financial crisis periods. The findings imply that emerging and frontier markets need to pay greater attention to their relative economic performance and not just their sovereign ratings.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Li Eng ◽  
Mahelet Fikru ◽  
Thanyaluk Vichitsarawong

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of sustainability disclosures and disclosure ratings on firm value. This paper compares the informativeness of sustainability disclosures in company reports versus environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure ratings. The authors examine the extent to which they provide incremental information. Design/methodology/approach The sample consists of panel data from over 2,600 publicly-listed non-financial US companies for the period 2014–2018. The authors obtain sustainability disclosures from Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Navigator and ESG disclosure scores from Bloomberg. The authors regress market value and/or stock price on sustainability disclosures and ESG scores to evaluate information content. Findings ESG scores are positively associated with market value and price. Sustainability disclosures in the form of metrics and company-tailored narratives provide incremental information content on market value and/or price. Boilerplate disclosures reduce market value and price. Sustainability disclosures and ESG scores provide incremental information, suggesting that it would be beneficial to harmonize standards for reporting sustainability disclosures. Research limitations/implications The limitation is that the authors have only considered sustainability disclosures for a sample of US companies from two sources – SASB Navigator and Bloomberg. Practical implications The paper provides some evidence that may be pertinent to the debate on whether to harmonize the guidance on reporting sustainability issues. Social implications The paper provides evidence on the benefits to firms for reporting sustainability issues. Originality/value This paper is among the first to analyze company sustainability disclosures obtained from two different sources – SASB Navigator and ESG disclosure ratings – and compare them for relevance for company valuation. With SASB Navigator, the authors obtain further refinement into the nature of the information provided in the sustainability disclosures, that is, boilerplate, company-tailored or metrics disclosures.


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