Determinants of Voluntary Disclosure of Financial Information On the Internet by Brazilian Firms

Abstract

Disclosure transparency is one of the pillars of good corporate governance. Moreover, the digital age has produced a dramatic shift in the corporate communication paradigm. As a result, companies increasingly use the Internet as an investor relations medium and a vehicle to disseminate financial information to capital markets. This paper examines the determinants of voluntary disclosure of financial information on the Internet by Brazilian firms. Cross-sectional analyses based on 291 non-financial companies listed on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange in 2002 suggest that firm size and lower annual stock returns are associated with higher levels of voluntary financial information disclosure on corporate websites. These results are consistent with the notion that Brazilian firms (1) under public scrutiny or (2) that are performing poorly are more likely to disclose financial information on corporate websites.