Goodwill Accounting Research Articles

Disclosure of fair value measurement in goodwill impairment test and audit fees

Recent increases in the occurrence and magnitude of goodwill impairment charges highlight the increasing importance of the role of the auditor in goodwill accounting. This study examines the association between disclosures about the fair value measurement of goodwill and audit fees. We find that goodwill-related disclosures are positively related to audit fees, consistent with the idea that auditors increase their audit efforts to mitigate potential reputational and litigation losses (“audit risk effect”). Additionally, our results indicate that the information asymmetry and investor scrutiny moderate the association between goodwill-related disclosures and audit fees. One possible explanation is that auditors take goodwill-related disclosures as a signal of truthful goodwill accounting and this “signaling effect” partially offsets the “audit risk effect” of goodwill-related disclosures when information asymmetry or investor scrutiny is perceived as high.

Auditor Risk Assessment and Disclosure of Fair Value Measurement in Goodwill Impairment Test

Recent increases in the occurrence and magnitude of goodwill impairment charges highlight the increasing importance of the role of the auditor in goodwill accounting. This study examines the association between disclosures about the fair value measurement of goodwill and audit fees. We find that goodwill-related disclosures are positively related to audit fees, consistent with the idea that auditors increase their audit efforts to mitigate potential reputational and litigation losses (“audit risk effect”). Additionally, our results indicate that the information asymmetry and investor scrutiny moderate the association between goodwill-related disclosures and audit fees. One possible explanation is that auditors take goodwill-related disclosures as a signal of truthful goodwill accounting and this “signaling effect” partially offsets the “audit risk effect” of goodwill-related disclosures when information asymmetry or investor scrutiny is perceived as high.

ПОСЛЕДВАЩО ОЦЕНЯВАНЕ НА РЕПУТАЦИЯТА – ПРЕГЛЕД НА СЪЩЕСТВУВАЩАТА НОРМАТИВНА УРЕДБА (Subsequent Evaluation of Goodwill – Overview of Existing Accounting Legislation)

Bulgarian Abstract: Целта на тази статия е да се извърши преглед и анализ на съществуващите практики в нормативното регламентиране на счетоводното отчитане на репутацията като един от основните проблеми в областта на хармонизацията на счетоводството, като няма за цел да анализира критично отделните регулации по отношение на тяхната релевантност. Обективният анализ на разгледаните регламенти ни позволява да обобщим, че съществуващия ред за извършване на последваща оценка на репутацията и посочените елементи на оповестяване са много важни, за да се получат реални индикации за бизнеса и необходимостта от обезценка, но от друга страна те са изключително чувствителни и лесни за манипулиране, тъй като използват вътрешни предположения и оценки на управлението на предприятието, които са изключително трудни за проверка. Считаме, че това е една от основните предпоставки за промяна на режима при последващо отчитане на репутацията. English Abstract: The purpose of this article is to review and analyze existing practices in the accounting regulation of post-reputation accounting as one of the major problems in the field of accounting harmonization by not aiming to critically analyze individual regulations in terms of their relevance. The objective analysis of the reviewed regulations allows us to summarize that the existing order for carrying out the ex post evaluation of the reputation and the specified disclosure elements are very important in order to obtain real indications of the business situation and the need for impairment but on the other hand they are extremely sensitive and easy to manipulate, as they use internal assumptions and assessments of enterprise management that are extremely difficult to verify. We believe that this is one of the main prerequisites for changing the regime in subsequent accounting for goodwill.

The Value Relevance of Aged Goodwill: A South African Study

The purpose of this study was to determine whether goodwill, which is measured in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standard 3 (IFRSÂ 3), is value relevant at acquisition and as time progresses, for a period of two years after acquisition. Using the Ohlson model, 126 JSE firm-year observations were tested. It was subsequently found that goodwill was not value relevant at acquisition date but did become value relevant as time progressed. The possible reasons for goodwill not being value relevant at acquisition are attributed to the manner in which IFRSÂ 3 requires goodwill to be measured, the allowance of provisional values under IFRSÂ 3, and the complexities associated with complying with IFRSÂ 3. Goodwill being value relevant as time progresses is attributed to the subsequent measurement requirements of IFRSÂ 3, in particular the annual impairment testing requirement as opposed to the previous amortisation requirements. This study was conducted in a South African context where limited studies on goodwill have taken place. The results are deemed to be useful to investors and standard setters as they hold implications for goodwill accounting practice and changes to goodwill accounting standards.

Contemporary Issues Surrounding an Impairment-Only Approach to Acquired Goodwill: A Selected Review

This paper presents a selected review of contemporary issues surrounding an impairment-only approach to accounting for acquired goodwill and addresses the question of whether an impairment-only approach has resulted in an improvement in an accounting for goodwill. The review is structured around three main themes: concerned raised by stakeholders regarding an impairment-only approach, causes of the debates on goodwill impairment, and proposed solutions offered by stakeholders. The contribution of this paper to the debate on an impairment-only approach to acquired goodwill is to demonstrate that even though an impairment-only approach has posed implementation, auditing and enforcement challenges, it has also encouraged standard-setters, regulators and firms worldwide to make concerted efforts in bringing in more clarity to the valuation of goodwill and its impairment test. The review ends by offering practical ways forward on an accounting for acquired goodwill.

Manager's misinterpretation of goodwill impairments: evidence from German listed companies

This study investigates the reported goodwill of German listed companies between 2009 and 2014 and focuses on opportunistic behaviour by managers applying the impairment only approach (IOA) in accordance with IAS 36. Contributing to the literature on goodwill accounting, this investigation examines changes of CEOs and companies' financial situation, showing that the profit trend is an indicator of goodwill impairments. The results also indicate that new CEOs show a tendency for big bath accounting when taking office and therefore write off more goodwill than incumbent CEOs. Moreover, managers are more likely to impair goodwill when current earnings are negative, especially after decreases in earnings above the annual average. On the other hand, managers tend to avoid goodwill impairments when earnings decrease significantly but still remain positive.

Information Restrictions of the Russian Concept of Goodwill Accounting and the Vector of its Development

Information Restrictions of the Russian Concept of Goodwill Accounting and the Vector of its Development

Reviewing IFRS Goodwill Accounting Research: Implementation Effects and Cross-Country Differences

We review 42 studies from 2008 to early 2017 about IFRS goodwill accounting choices for recognition, impairment, and disclosure of goodwill, focusing on cross-country evidence of implementation effects. We develop a model of application of goodwill accounting based on IFRS 3, IAS 36, and country- and firm-level influences to analyze the research and to summarize existing evidence about goodwill accounting choices. We report evidence in support of IFRS accounting for goodwill recognition, impairment, and disclosure from many countries. However, evidence regarding value relevance is mixed. Overall, there is a lack of cross-country evidence regarding factors affecting goodwill accounting. Many studies show goodwill recognition, impairment, and disclosure are associated with economic and firm factors, and there is some evidence about the impact of managerial incentives and a lack of timeliness in impairment recognition. There is scope for more cross-country studies showing how institutional factors affect the application of IFRS 3 and IAS 36.

The Value Relevance of Goodwill: IFRSs and Global Financial Crisis (GFC)

This study contributes to the issue of accounting for goodwill by examining the impact of changing from the Australian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (AGAAP) to Australian International Financial Reporting Standards (AIFRS) on goodwill, 3 years (2002 to 2004) before and 3 years (2006 to 2008) after AIFRS adoption. The sample is drawn from top 200 companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). This study applies multiple regressions. The dependent variable is the closing share price 3 months after the balance sheet date. The independent variables consist of earnings per share, book value per share, goodwill in the balance sheet, goodwill in the income statement (goodwill amortisation and goodwill impairment) and goodwill acquisition. The findings indicate that goodwill accounted for in the income statement and balance sheet do not provide increased explanatory power of market value under AIFRS compared to AGAAP. Moreover, the goodwill in the income statement does not show value relevance in year 2007, but became significant in year 2008 during the global financial crisis (GFC). Also, the age of goodwill recorded in the balance sheet does not affect the value relevance of earnings and book value in the post-adoption period. This study contributes new evidence on accounting for goodwill under pre and post-IFRS accounting regimes in Australia. This is also the first study to examine the separate effects of goodwill accounting on earnings and net assets, with special attention given to the period before and during the GFC in capital markets.

Evolution of intangible asset accounting: Evidence from Australia

AbstractThis study investigates how the adoption of IFRS in Australia has changed the accounting for goodwill and identifiable intangible assets (IIA). Based on unique hand‐collected data for 802 Australian firm‐years during 2000–2010, we find that expenses related to IIA are higher under IFRS, which is consistent with the view that IFRS accounting policies for IIA are stricter than those under Australian domestic accounting standards pre‐2005 (AGAAP). Our results show two effects that accompany higher IIA expenses under IFRS, which reduce a negative impact on earnings: (i) lower goodwill expenses, and (ii) a shift in recognition of IIA from those with finite useful life to IIA with indefinite useful life. Finally, our market value analyses suggest that the market does not treat mechanical goodwill amortization as a genuine expense, but does treat as genuine expenses discretionary impairment charges, and more lenient IIA amortization under AGAAP. Our results are in line with prior Australian studies claiming that imposing stricter accounting rules for intangible assets under IFRS tends to diminish the quality of investors' information set.

Goodwill accounting standards in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Japan

In this article, we revisit the history of accounting for goodwill in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Japan following the conclusions and predictions of Ding, Richard and Stolowy (2008). We aim at verifying whether the four phases of development of the accounting for goodwill between 1880 and 2005 are actually determined by the global change from a stakeholder model of corporate governance to a shareholder model. An extended time frame of analysis (until 2016) is considered in this study, which includes Japan among the country-specific accounting systems investigated. Our findings do not support Ding et al.’s predictions for Japan and demonstrate a disagreement between those countries which consider goodwill as a depleting asset and those which consider goodwill as a permanent asset. This observation might explain better the current debate concerning international harmonization on goodwill.

Does IFRS Adoption Accelerate M&A? The Consequences of Different Goodwill Accounting in Japan

This study investigates how the gap in goodwill accounting between the Japanese local accounting standards (Japanese Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and international accounting standards (International Financial Reporting Standards) is related to the likelihood of firms adopting international accounting standards and the merger and acquisition transactions that result. We first investigate whether the adoption of international accounting standards is associated with the past merger and acquisition activities of adopters and their goodwill ratio. Second, to control for possible self-selection bias arising from the firms’ incentives for adopting international accounting standards, we use propensity score matching to select control firms that use Japanese local accounting standards and have a similar probability of adoption of international accounting standards. Third, we examine whether there is any difference in the number of merger and acquisition transactions, as well as the goodwill ratio, between the period before, and after, the adoption of international accounting standards. We show that firms that are actively involved in merger and acquisition transactions have a higher probability of voluntary adoption of international accounting standards than those following Japanese local ones. Further, adopters of international accounting standards experience a bigger rise in the number of merger and acquisition transactions than those adopting local ones. While the goodwill ratio in adopters of international accounting standards is higher than that for adopters of Japanese local accounting standards, there is no evidence that the former increase the goodwill ratio after the adoption.

Analyst Characteristics and the Level of Critical Perception of Goodwill Accounting

AbstractWhile inputs used in analysts’ valuation models have been documented (Brown et al. 2015), it has not been studied how analysts’ personal characteristics are associated with their level of critical perception regarding agency conflict manifested in published financial statements. This is important because analysts are, to some extent, substitutes for industry‐specialised auditors in monitoring financial reporting (e.g., Sun and Liu 2011). To address this shortcoming, we investigate analysts’ level of critical perception concerning current goodwill accounting standards, which provide significant reporting latitude. We use data from a survey of Nordic financial analysts and examine this data with statistical methods, including factor analysis and structural equation modelling. We find two latent constructs, one which reflects a critical attitude to the current goodwill accounting standards and one which reflects an uncritical attitude to the current standards. Our structural equation model suggests that having a background in auditing, as well as general experience and exposure to different industries, is associated with a higher degree of critical perception of current standards. In contrast, having a basic (low) level of formal business (accounting) education is associated with a more uncritical perception than having a high level of education.

MENGUPAS PERSOALAN STANDAR AKUNTANSI KEUANGAN-GOODWILL DI BERBAGAI NEGARA : SUATU PENDEKATAN STUDI LITERATUR

This literature study explains and describes the development of the concept of goodwill from the perspective of accounting by observing and describing until the development at this time, discusses differences in accounting standards of goodwill applicable in some countries, and explains the things that contradict the goodwill. This research method used qualitative with literature study. The results of this study are some countries, the concepts and rules on goodwill accounting have undergone various changes, including international accounting standards issued by the IASC. Initially goodwill is capitalized and amortized over no more than 20 years. But, along with the increasing use of fair value accounting in accounting standards, the treatment for goodwill also experienced a shift that is eliminated by the amortization method is replaced by doing impairment test to goodwill. The results of this study contribute as add to the treasury of financial accounting literature,especially accounting treatment of goodwill as intangible assets in the financialstatements of various countries such as Indonesia, America and the England

MENGUPAS PERSOALAN STANDAR AKUNTANSI KEUANGAN - GOODWIL DI BERBAGAI NEGARA : SUATU PENDEKATAN STUDI LITERATUR

This literature study explains and describe the development of the concept of goodwill from the perspective of accounting by observing and describing until the development at this time, discusses differences in accounting standards of goodwill applicable in some countries, and explains the things that contradict the goodwill. This research method used qualitative with literature study. The results of this study are in some countries, the concepts and rules on goodwill accounting have undergone various changes, including international accounting standards issued by the IASC. Initially goodwill is capitalized and amortized over no more than 20 years. But, along with the increasing use of fair value accounting in accounting standards, thetreatment for goodwill also experienced a shift that is eliminated by the amortization method is replaced by doing impairment test to goodwill. The results of this study contribute as add to the treasury of financial accounting literature, especially accounting treatment of goodwill as intangible assets in the financial statements of various countries such as Indonesia, America and the England.Keyword :Goodwiil, Impairment, Financial Accounting Standard

The Economic Effects of IFRS Goodwill Reporting

AbstractThe promotion of the international harmonisation of goodwill accounting has led to the approval of SFAS 141 and 142 and IFRS 3, IAS 36 and IAS 38. The aim was to improve the quality and comparability of financial statements through these standards by eliminating the pooling of interests method and substituting the application of amortisation with an annual impairment test. However, recent decisions by regulating bodies such as the FASB, the IASB and the European Parliament have compromised this harmonisation. Currently, steps are being taken to reintroduce systematic amortisation in conjunction with the impairment test. In this dual normative scenario, where two accounting methods coexist (impairment test or amortisation), we analyse the economic consequences of the application of one method over the other in the information transmitted by the firms listed in the Spanish securities market. The contrast of two periods, pre‐IFRS (1998 to 2004) and post‐IFRS (2005 to 2011), reveals that the application of either of these methods affects financial statements and the usefulness of the information. Therefore, the possibility of opting for one or the other could distort the quality and comparability of the information transmitted by firms and the accurate assessment of future cash flows.

External audit and goodwill write-off

Building on agency theory, we investigate whether and how salient external auditor characteristics (size, audit fees, non-audit fees, tenure) impact on the reported goodwill write-off. We use a sample of US firms applying SFAS 142. We find that Big-4 auditors are more prone to limit underestimated write-offs rather than overestimated write-offs and that auditors require higher fees from companies underestimating the write-offs. The findings are consistent with the auditors’ preference for more conservative goodwill and earnings values, which reduce their litigation and reputation costs. This preference can converge with the managerial interest to use unnecessary overestimated goodwill write-offs for earnings management purposes (e.g. to smooth the income or take big baths). Our findings do not support the hypotheses that non-audit fees and tenure affect the goodwill write-off. Our paper contributes to prior literature on external audit and financial accounting choices. Our study suggests that leniently audited discretional fair value estimates are likely to compromise the role of auditing (and of financial reporting) as an external control mechanism. Our study can contribute to the current policy debate around goodwill accounting.

PERKEMBANGAN AKUNTANSI GOODWILL DARI DIVERSIFIKASI MENUJU KESERAGAMAN

This paper aims to review the prior research related to change in accounting treatment for goodwill from diversification to uniformity. Literature review is used to organize this paper. The paper discusses and compares the former accounting treatment used by countries around the world and the new IFRS treatment for goodwill. The paper highlights that the new standard has significantly changed the treatment for goodwill. According to IFRS 3, goodwill acquired through a business combination is no longer amortized but tested for impairment. Despite this standard has created a uniformed goodwill accounting; however, there are still lots of debates due to considerable ambiguity and subjectivity which inherent in impairment test. Findings suggest that future paper should examine how financial statement preparers and auditor are dealing with this new goodwill accounting treatment.

Has SFAS 142 improved the usefulness of goodwill impairment loss and goodwill balances for investors?

Due to the concerns about the annual SFAS 142 impairment test, the FASB has recently added a project to its technical agenda to evaluate potential alternatives for measurement of goodwill. Motivated by the FASB’s consideration of a change in goodwill accounting, I examine the impact of SFAS 142 on the usefulness of goodwill write-offs and goodwill balances. I find that goodwill write-offs and goodwill balances are more strongly associated with stock returns and stock prices respectively after SFAS 142 than before SFAS 142. Furthermore, in the post-SFAS 142 period, I find that the association between stock prices and goodwill is lower for firms that avoid the recognition of the existing goodwill impairments, and that goodwill write-offs are more negatively associated with stock returns for firms where managers have more discretion over the impairment testing process. Overall, the findings suggest that despite the concerns of critics over the reliability of fair value estimates of goodwill, (1) SFAS 142 has improved the usefulness of goodwill numbers from investor perspective, and (2) investors see through the differences in reliability of reported goodwill numbers. These results have implications for standard-setting as the FASB considers new alternatives for goodwill accounting.

Has SFAS 142 Improved the Usefulness of Intangible Assets for Investors?

Due to the concerns about the annual SFAS 142 impairment test, the FASB has recently added a project to its technical agenda to evaluate potential alternatives for measurement of goodwill. Motivated by the FASB’s consideration of a change in goodwill accounting, I examine the impact of SFAS 142 on the usefulness of goodwill write-offs and goodwill balances. I find that goodwill write-offs and goodwill balances are more strongly associated with stock returns and stock prices respectively after SFAS 142 than before SFAS 142. Furthermore, in the post-SFAS 142 period, I find that the association between stock prices and goodwill is lower for firms that avoid the recognition of the existing goodwill impairments, and that goodwill write-offs are more negatively associated with stock returns for firms where managers have more discretion over the impairment testing process. Overall, the findings suggest that despite the concerns of critics over the reliability of fair value estimates of goodwill, (i) SFAS 142 has improved the usefulness of goodwill numbers from investor perspective, and (ii) investors see through the differences in reliability of reported goodwill numbers. These results have implications for standard-setting as the FASB considers new alternatives for goodwill accounting.