Factors Influencing the Extent of Corporate Compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards in South Africa

The main objective of this study is to investigate the effects of company attributes on compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The study used a sample of 46 listed companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) covering the period from 1993 to 2017. With an average compliance level of 88.21304, it is concluded that South Africa’s listed firms have significantly complied with IFRS 1. Using panel data to analyze the effects of company attributes, size and leverage have a significant positive effect on IFRS 1 compliance. On the other hand, the coefficients of Earnings Per Share (EPS) and Return on Total Assets (ROTA) are negative and significant. This similarly implies that ROTA and EPS are important factors driving the compliance level of the companies in South Africa with the IFRS 1 disclosure. EPS and ROTA also exhibit an inverse relationship with the compliance level. Carrying out a longitudinal study helps to produce more recent evidence on the quality of IFRS financial reports in South Africa. The outcome of the study is beneficial to international literature as it provides enough evidence on the benefits of adopting IFRS adoption.

Information Flow Between the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange: A Transfer Entropy Approach

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether there was information flow between the stock markets of Zimbabwe and South Africa during the time the Zimbabwean economy was dollarized. The author used econophysics-based Shannonian and Rényian transfer entropy estimates to establish the flow of information between the markets in tranquil periods as well as at the tails of return distributions. The only significant Shannonian transfer entropy estimate was from Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) resources index to Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) mining index. The findings show that the only significant tail dependence was between JSE All Share Index (JALSH) and ZSE Mining on the one hand, and between JSE Resources and ZSE Mining on the other hand. However, the magnitudes of the effective transfer entropy values are relatively low, showing that there are weak linkages between the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The lack of significant information flows between the exchanges of the two countries offer opportunities to fund managers for portfolio diversification. From a government point of view, it is imperative that the tempo of economic and political reform be accelerated so that integration between the markets can be fast-tracked. Integrated markets will benefit Zimbabwe as this will reduce the cost of equity and accelerate economic growth.

“It’s a long story…” – impression management in South African corporate reporting

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange use impression management techniques to obscure financial performance across the corporate reporting suite. Design/methodology/approach Mixed-effect linear regression models were used to examine whether there is a relationship between the financial performance of a company and the length or complexity of the reports produced. Findings Consistent with trends examined internationally, companies with lower financial performance tend to present lengthier disclosures throughout the reporting complement. However, there is limited evidence to suggest a definitive relationship between report complexity and performance. Corporate reports have maintained a consistent level of complexity and are not easily readable. Social implications This paper is unique as it simultaneously considers multiple corporate reports, including the annual financial statements, integrated reports and market announcements. The paper contributes to the limited body of literature on impression management from emerging economies. Originality/value A comparison of the complexity measures to the average education level of South Africans indicates that most corporate reports are not readable to the layman investor. Thus, despite there being no definitive relationship between complexity and performance, there is impetus to simplify corporate reporting.

Effects of integrated reporting on the cost of capital and analysts’ forecasts errors: A study of Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed mining firms

Orientation: Integrated reporting (IR) has gained traction over the last decade. Although IR became mandatory for all firms listed on Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in 2010, the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) issued the IR framework in December 2013.Research Purpose: The study seeks to investigate the effects of IR on the cost of equity capital and analysts’ forecast errors for the mining firms listed on JSE.Motivation for the study: A large part of empirical evidence highlights benefits of IR; however, some studies still find no link between the quality of integrated reports and economic benefits for the reporting firm. It is against this backdrop that the study investigates effects of integrated reports on the cost of equity capital and analysts’ forecast errors.Research approach, design and method: We use a quantitative research design to test effects of IR on the cost of equity capital and analysts’ forecast errors. We study used a panel regression to analyse relationship amongst IR, cost of equity capital and analysts’ forecast errors.Main findings: The study found a significant negative relationship between IR scores and cost of equity and analysts’ forecast errors.Practical or managerial application: The findings of the study could incentivise managers in other jurisdictions where IR is not mandatory. Furthermore, findings may contribute to the existing discourse on firm-based benefits related to the quality of IR.Contribution or value addition: The study contributes to the body of knowledge with regard to possible benefits associated with compliance with the IR reporting framework.

Balancing quantitative and qualitative value-creation reporting

Method: The demand for a balanced disclosure of quantitative and qualitative value creation in an organisation and for its stakeholders has increased in recent years.Aim: Therefore, this study focused on the disclosure of 97 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange over a period of five years (2015–2019).Method: A three-phased content anlaysis was followed.Results: The researchers found that value-creation disclosures are mostly concerned with quantitative value creation, and that they focus on value concepts, such as returns to investors, cash flow, increase in employee numbers, and benefits to employees. Some companies have progressed in their integrated reporting practices and now include a reference to value creation by balancing the different forms of capital. However, their reports still do not include concrete statements or definitions about what value creation is considered to be; neither do they disclose qualitative value-creation concepts.Conclusion: The authors thus conclude that imbalanced reporting skewed towards quantitative value concepts persists.

Monitoring intensity, investment inefficiency and institutional shareholders: Evidence from JSE listed companies in South Africa

This study investigates how variation in monitoring intensity affects the efficiency of firms’ investment decisions in an emerging market in South Africa. The study hypothesis argues that the distraction of institutional shareholders has a statistically significant positive effect on corporate investment inefficiency. Using a more robust Generalized Method of Moments (Sys GMM) estimation approach to analyze data collected for firms listed at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) for the period 2004–2019, the results showed that the distraction of institutional shareholders has a positive and statistically significant impact on investment inefficiency. That is, when the attention of institutional shareholders is shifted, the intensity of their monitoring drops, and the executive is involved in investment decisions that are not profitable. This insight has an implication for stakeholders and the value-creating corporate governance mechanism. The study concludes that institutional shareholders must always sustain their monitoring intensity to ensure that corporate decisions are consistent with the firm’s value.