Comment Letters on Annual Reports: Evidence from an Emerging Market

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuo Yang
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Market ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Comment Letters

Comment letters on annual reports: Evidence from an emerging market

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuo Yang
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Securities And Exchange Commission ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Matched Sample ◽  
Disclosure Quality ◽  
Weak Institutions ◽  
Comment Letters ◽  
The U.S

This paper examines comment letters on firms’ annual reports in an emerging market. The literature primarily focuses on comment letters issued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), although many other market regulators also use SEC-style comment letters. Comment letters can potentially be very impactful in emerging markets due to weak institutions and low disclosure quality in these markets. Using comment letters in China from 2015 to 2019, I find that the market response to the receipt of comment letters is significantly negative and associated with the severity of the comment letters. The receipt (severity) of comment letters is associated with adverse regulatory consequences, CEO turnover, corrective actions to remedy financial reporting, and poor future financial performance in the propensity score matched sample (recipient sample). Overall disclosure quality in the post-review year does not increase, but some comment letter topics prompt topic-specific financial reporting changes.

The Determinants of Financial Ratio Disclosures and Quality: Evidence from an Emerging market

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben k. Agyei-Mensah
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Ownership Concentration ◽  
Financial Ratios ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Executive Directors ◽  
Financial Ratio

This study investigated the influence of firm-specific characteristics which include proportion of Non-Executive Directors, ownership concentration, firm size, profitability, debt equity ratio, liquidity and leverage on the extent and quality of financial ratios disclosed by firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange.The research was conducted through detailed analysis of the 2012 financial statements of  the listed firms.  Descriptive analysis was performed to provide the background statistics of the variables examined.  This was followed by regression analysis which forms the main data analysis.  The results of the extent of financial ratio disclosure level, mean of 62.78%, indicate that most of the firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange did not overwhelmingly disclose such ratios in their annual reports.  The results of the low quality of financial ratio disclosure mean of 6.64% indicate that the disclosures failed woefully to meet the International Accounting Standards Board's qualitative characteristics of relevance, reliability, comparability and understandability.The results of the multiple regression analysis show that leverage and return on investment are associated on a statistically significant level as far as the extent of financial ratio disclosure is concerned. Board ownership concentration and proportion of (independent) non-executive directors, on the other hand were found to be statistically associated with the quality of financial ratio disclosed. There is a significant negative relationship between ownership concentration and the quality of financial ratio disclosure.  This means that under a higher level of ownership concentration less quality financial ratios are disclosed. The findings also show that there is a significant positive relationship between board composition (proportion of non-executive directors) and the quality of financial ratio disclosure.  JEL CLASSIFICATION: G3, M1, M2, M4.

Cultural and organizational integration in cross-border M&A deals

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 1109-1135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrei Panibratov
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Organizational Integration

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify key factors that influence the integration process in cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals of emerging multinational enterprises (EMNEs). The research questions are: how national and organizational culture coupled with other organizational characteristics influence M&A deals of EMNEs? Which factors influence the process of cultural and organizational integration in cross-border M&A deals, initiated by EMNEs? What is the effect and consequences that different integration factors have on cross-border M&A deals by EMNEs? Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a multiple case study research, considering cross-border deals of Chinese and Russian firms separately. Each block consists of two cases, describing M&A integration of companies operating in two sectors: high technology and finance. The authors obtained the data for case studies from companies’ official websites, annual reports, press releases, other official documents where companies were mentioned, business-media sources (newspapers and magazines), published interviews, documented speeches, letters, laws, as well as through blogs and social networks. The authors have also used the published information from articles, books, databases, and previously conducted case studies. Findings The authors have identified the factors influencing deals’ results of Chinese and Russian MNEs, with explanation based on case studies’ analysis. The full list of factors is presented in Table IV in the manuscript. The authors have also identified the set of elements that were derived from the case studies’ analysis only, without having any strong support in the literature, such as changes at a senior management level, educational and business exchanges, CSR policy, and the government involvement. Originality/value The authors have identified the key factors that influence integration of emerging market firms in cross-border M&A deal. The list of factors was adjusted and actualized in accordance with the results of four cases of cross-border M&A deals of Chinese or Russian companies. As a result, the authors founded the combination of characteristics of cultural and organizational integration process of firms from China and Russia.

Female directors and CSR disclosure in Bangladesh: the role of family affiliation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pallab Kumar Biswas ◽  
Helen Roberts ◽  
Rosalind Heather Whiting
Keyword(s):  
Family Firms ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Csr Disclosure ◽  
Female Director ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of female director affiliations to governing families on corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures in the context of Bangladeshi firms. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a quantitative empirical research method grounded in Socioemotional Wealth (SEW) theory. Data was sourced from Bangladeshi publicly listed non-financial sector companies’ annual reports and stock exchange trading and publication reports and consists of 2,637 firm-year observations from 1996 to 2011. Pooled multivariate regression models are used to test the association between corporate social and environmental disclosure and female directors, and the family affiliation (or not) of those directors. Findings The findings provide strong evidence that female directors who are affiliated to the governing family, founders and other board members reduce CSR disclosure in family firms; unaffiliated female board directors enhance CSR disclosure, and this effect is significant in both family and non-family firms. Research limitations/implications Definitions of family firms and affiliated directors may lead to over-generalization in the results. Originality/value The study highlights variation in the nature of female board appointments in emerging market family-controlled firms. The findings bring attention to the role of affiliated female director appointments in family ownership structures and speak directly to family business owners, advisors and policy makers about the importance of unaffiliated female directors as catalysts of improved CSR disclosure in family and non-family firms.

Readability of sustainability reports: evidence from Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 621-636
Author(s):  
Desi Adhariani ◽  
Elda du Toit
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
English Language ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Public Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Software Application ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
Sustainability Reports ◽  
Market Capitalisation

PurposeThis study aimed at investigating the readability of sustainability reports in Indonesia. The Indonesian government, through the Financial Services Authority of Indonesia (Otoritas Jasa Keuangan [OJK]), has issued regulation POJK 51/2017 concerning the implementation of sustainable finance, which requires public companies to prepare sustainability reports—either stand-alone reports or parts of annual reports. Until 2017, only 30% of the top public companies in terms of market capitalisation issued the required report. Companies' decisions to provide the report stem from the greater visibility and access to resources that flow from additional narratives. However, the usefulness of such a report can be questioned.Design/methodology/approachWe used several linguistic techniques (Flesch Reading Ease [FRE], Flesch–Kincaid, and Gunning Fog measures) to evaluate the readability of sustainability reports. The analysis was performed using a software application called “Readability Studio 2015.”FindingsWe found the reports to have a low level of readability. This means that the information provided in the disclosures are very difficult to decipher and understand by the targeted users. Considering the similar levels of report readability in companies across industries, we observe a pattern of isomorphism in the way companies have implemented the same format and language construct in disclosing their sustainability information. They might apply the myth that complex language attracts investors or impresses others.Research limitations/implicationsThe techniques to measure readability that we use might not capture the whole dimensions of readability and understandability, especially in the non-English language.Practical implicationsThe results from this study can be used as evaluation tools for companies and regulators in preparing more intelligible and readable sustainability reports, as mandated by POJK 51/2017.Social implicationsSustainability reports act as a medium of accountability for a company's sustainable production and operations. Their usefulness for investors and other users often depends on the readability of the information.Originality/valueThe readability of sustainability reports in the context of Indonesia as an emerging market has not been comprehensively investigated in previous research. This study is among the first of its kind to support the quality enhancement of the reports.

Internal control quality and voluntary disclosure: does CEO duality matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hichem Khlif ◽  
Khaled Samaha ◽  
Ines Amara
Keyword(s):  
Internal Control ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Structural Power ◽  
Ceo Duality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Reporting ◽  
Control Quality

PurposeThe authors examine the association between internal control quality (ICQ) and voluntary disclosure and test whether chief executive officer (CEO) duality, as a proxy for CEO structural power, moderates such a relationship in an emerging market (Egypt).Design/methodology/approachICQ is measured using a survey of external auditors, while a content analysis approach is used to measure the level of voluntary disclosure in annual reports.FindingsBased on a sample of 512 firm-year observations over the period of 2007–2014, the authors document that ICQ is positively and significantly associated with voluntary disclosure, suggesting that better controls improve corporate reporting policy. In addition, CEO duality moderates the association between ICQ and voluntary disclosure since this positive relationship association becomes insignificant for companies characterised by CEO duality. These results remain stable after controlling for endogeneity (self-selection problem), political instability and industry characteristics.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of the study provide preliminary evidence on the association between ICQ and voluntary disclosure, and how CEO structural power may affect this association. Future empirical investigations may extend this work to cover the relationship between ICQ and other attributes of corporate transparency including earnings quality and accounting conservatism.Practical implicationsThe findings highlight the need for Egyptian regulators to enact new rules obliging firms to communicate information about ICQ or charging auditors to report information about firm's ICQ in their reports. The results also alert policymakers about the adverse effect of combined leadership structure (CEO duality) since it mitigates the positive impact of ICQ on voluntary disclosure.Originality/valueThe authors contribute to internal control literature by exploring the association between ICQ and voluntary disclosure on an emergent unregulated market with respect to internal control disclosure. They also highlight how CEO duality, as a proxy for CEO power, mitigates the beneficial effect of ICQ on corporate reporting policy on the Egyptian stock exchange (EGX).

scholarly journals Corporate disclosures and firm characteristics: A study of the emerging market listed companies

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-54
Author(s):  
Nidhi Sharma Sahore ◽  
Anshul Verma
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Accounting Information ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Corporate Disclosure ◽  
Firm Characteristics ◽  
Specific Data ◽  
Policy Initiatives ◽  
Regulatory Impact ◽  
Corporate Disclosures

The objective of this study is to understand whether firm characteristics explain the extent of corporate disclosures in the annual reports of listed Indian companies. In the field of accounting, voluntary information disclosures have been receiving a lot of attention as they bridge the gap between what is mandatory and what is sought by the stakeholders. Due to the prime focus of corporate disclosure literature on the linkage of company characteristics with the extent of disclosures, it becomes pertinent to study this aspect before studying the policy and regulatory impact. Hence, it is examined what prompts listed corporate entities in an emerging market like India to disclose more. The disclosure scores of Indian CNX 100 companies over a period of five years (2011–2015) related to firm characteristics such as age, size, and listing status were arrived at through content analysis and subsequent coding of the data. The study applied correlation, regression, and t-test to analyze respective scores and firm-specific data accessed from CMIE Prowess and Ace Equity industry databases. The study found firm characteristics such as age and listing status to be non-significant in leading corporations to enhanced disclosures. However, regression results improving with respect to the firm size and almost becoming significant in later years especially in the post-policy period (i.e., post-2013) remains an important takeaway from this study. The study stands on a formidable ground that it is the policy initiatives that are pushing firms to reveal more about their businesses keeping in mind the diverse perspectives of accounting information users

scholarly journals CEO SUCCESSION ORIGIN, TYPES AND ITS EFFECT ON PERFORMANCE IN MALAYSIA

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 10-22
Author(s):  
Wan Masliza Wan Mohammad ◽  
Siti Nurhani Sheikh Ahmad ◽  
Sumathi Kumaraswamy ◽  
Rapiah Mohd Zaini ◽  
Azleen Shabrina Mohd Nor
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Sample Size ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Financial Data ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Ceo Succession ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Ceo Successions ◽  
Future Growth

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of CEO succession origin (Internal versus External), types (Voluntary and Force) on firms’ performance. The effect of CEO succession on firms’ performance is investigated using a sample size of 80 firms which consists of 40 firms that had been identified from the list in Bursa Malaysia to have experienced CEO succession and 40 firms that do not experience CEO succession in the year 2014. All financial data and variables are gathered from annual reports and the Emerging Market Information System (EMIS). The findings of this study indicate that CEO origin has no effect on performance. However, the study found a positive association between forced CEO successions on performance. Our finding suggests forced change in the CEOs improve the performance over the lag two years’ period. The appointment of new CEOs via force allows for comprehensive change in the strategy, business operations, and firm’s future growth.

scholarly journals The Role of Integrated Reporting in Emerging Market: Earnings Quality and Debt Maturity

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 380
Author(s):  
P.A.Pamungkas,Amrie Firmansyah, R.A.Qadri,Agung Dinarjito, Zef Arfiansyah
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Earnings Quality ◽  
Debt Maturity ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Integrated Reporting

The maturity structure of debt can have financial and operational consequences for a firm as debt maturity is a key aspect of financial flexibility. Moreover, debt maturity can impact a firm’s ability to undertake long-term productive investments and, as a result, affect economic activity. This study aims to examine the effect of earnings quality on debt maturity and the role of Integrated Reporting (IR) in moderating these effects. This study's methodology is a quantitative approach with multiple linear regression models and panel data. The sample employed in this study is manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). The type of data employed in this study is secondary data sourced from financial statements and annual reports from 2016 to 2020. The sample selection using a purposive sampling method with the number of samples amounted to 595 firm-year observations. The results of this study suggest that earnings quality does not affect debt maturity. Additional tests show that income maximization companies tend to have shorter debt maturity. However, IR failed to moderate the effect of earnings quality on debt maturity. This study indicates that the Financial Services Authority (OJK) needs to conduct better monitoring and regulation to increase creditor protection through optimal debt policy disclosure from the companies.

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