The Financial Reporting Quality for Commercial Banks - Empirical Evidence in Vietnam

Abstract

Purpose: The financial reporting quality for enterprises in general and commercial banks in Vietnam in particular plays a very important role because it is used by many stakeholders (internal and external) to make relevant decisions. In this study, the author assessed the current status of financial reporting quality for Vietnamese commercial banks through the qualitative characteristics of financial statements.   Theoretical framework: In this study, the author assessed the current status of financial reporting quality for Vietnamese commercial banks through the qualitative characteristics of financial statements according to IASB 2018 including 2 fundamental characteristics including relevance and faithful presentation, 4 enhancing characteristics including understandability, comparability, verifiability, and timeliness.  Design/Methodology: The author used a set of measures on the qualitative characteristics of financial statements according to some previous studies in the world. The author collected data from the financial statements from 24 commercial banks in the period of 2019 - 2021. Findings: The research results show that financial reporting quality for Vietnamese commercial banks is not high. Specifically, for the financial reporting quality characteristics according to IASB (2018), the timeliness characteristics were assessed to have the highest value, followed by understandability characteristics. The two enhancing characteristics including relevance and faithful representation of the financial statements for Vietnamese commercial banks were rated as low. The remaining two enhancing characteristics which were the understandability and verifiability characteristics were also rated as low.   Research, Practical & Social implication: The study shows The financial reporting quality for enterprises in general and commercial banks in Vietnam in particular plays a very important role because it is used by many stakeholders (internal and external) to make relevant decisions.     Originality/ value: The research results will be a useful reference for relevant stakeholders such as the Ministry of Finance, the State Bank of Vietnam, bank managers, shareholders, investors, etc. in management and other related fields.