Forward-looking Information Research Articles

The Role of Strategic Management Accounting Techniques in the Improvement of A Company’s Financial Performance: The Case of low-cost Airlines

This article presents a unique exploration of the role of Strategic Management Accounting techniques in supporting decision-making. This perspective has not been extensively studied in the context of low-cost airlines. This accounting branch is characterized by providing external, financial, non-financial, long-term, and forward-looking information, expanding the informational framework for strategic management and decision-making. The methodology relies on the application questionnaires and the financial performance analysis of fifteen low-cost airlines in America and Europe. Structural equation models were applied to test the relationships among the variables. The results evidence that the strategic management accounting techniques that positively and significantly affect the financial performance of the analyzed low-cost airlines are the ones related to the group of costing and strategic decision-making.

Assessing corporate climate action: Corporate climate policies and company-level emission reductions

Private investment decisions are expected to play a decisive role in redirecting capital flows in line with the Paris Agreement. The financial sector and policymakers have emphasized the role of corporate climate action and climate-related disclosure, including backward-looking emissions figures and forward-looking information on corporate climate policies to enable investors to reallocate capital to firms with promising emission reduction pathways. However, there is at best inconclusive evidence on the relationship between corporate climate policies and subsequent company-level emission reductions. Previous research was limited by small sample sizes and short observation periods, impeding the analysis of time-lagged effects or the inclusion of company-level fixed effects. To overcome these shortcomings, we draw on a new dataset with 17,198 observations from 1,749 companies that disclosed their corporate climate policies between 2010 and 2022. While our results show only a weak link between individual policies and company-level emissions, we find some evidence for an improved climate performance for absolute emissions for companies that introduced a comprehensive corporate climate policy mix. This is in line with public policy research that has found comprehensiveness to be an important dimension for public policy mixes and emphasizes the role of a mix of corporate climate policies rather than relying on individual measures.

CSR committees and the voluntary disclosures of climate change information in France

This study examines the effect of CSR committees on voluntary climate change disclosures. Using a sample of SBF 120 listed companies from 2018 to 2022, we find that the presence of CSR committees increases the disclosure of opportunities and forward-looking information on climate change. Additionally, we find that these results are mostly driven by the size of CSR committees. Our results suggest that CSR committees encourage voluntary climate change disclosures due to the informational and economic gains of having an expert sub-board committee responsible for overseeing environmental matters.

Data assetization and capital market information efficiency: evidence from Hidden Champion SMEs in China

Data assets serve functions such as value preservation and appreciation, financing, and value creation. They contain extensive information about enterprises’ operational status and future development prospects, providing significant references for external investors’ decision-making and greatly impacting the information efficiency in capital market. This study examines the correlation between data assetization and capital market information efficiency, along with the mechanisms and influencing factors involved. We select a sample of Chinese Hidden Champion small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from 2011 to 2021, utilize text analysis methods to build a data assets dictionary, and extract keywords from corporate annual reports to depict the level of data assetization. The research results indicate that data assetization significantly enhances the information efficiency of capital market, specifically reducing stock price synchronicity and stock price delay. By categorizing data assets into own-use data assets and transactional data assets, we find that both types can improve the information efficiency of the capital market. Mechanism analysis reveals that enterprise data assetization can enhance the information efficiency of capital market by alleviating corporate financing constraints and improving forward-looking information disclosure. Factors analysis demonstrates that digital infrastructure and data circulation transactions can strengthen the enhancement effect of data assetization on the information efficiency of capital market. This study enriches the research outcomes in the micro-research field of data assets, providing valuable insights for promoting the digital transformation of Hidden Champion SMEs and the high-quality development of capital market.

OIL VOLATILITY-OF-VOLATILITY AND TAIL RISK OF COMMODITIES

We examine the information content of oil volatility-of-volatility (VOV), constructed from the past 1-month OVX (implied volatility in crude oil market), on the expected tail risk of commodities. Specifically, we find oil VOV predicts 1-step-ahead tail risks of Energy, Precious Metals, Agriculture, Livestock sectors and the Aggregate Commodity sector (GSCI) for both in-sample and out-of-sample. Our results indicate the important role of crude oil in overall commodity markets by incorporating forward-looking information of OVX. Our findings are robust and complement the strand of literature about the leading role of crude oil in commodity markets.

On the integration of multiple criteria decision aiding and forecasting: Does it create value in portfolio selection?

A systemic integration of multiple criteria decision aiding (MCDA) and forecasting is presented for enhancing the quality of investment decisions. First, we provide a new methodological approach for combining forward-looking information, as an input to further MCDA analysis and we illustrate that the informational content of the MCDA scores is distinct from that of the original data used as input to the MCDA. Moreover, we provide very compelling evidence that the produced MCDA scores and rankings have incremental information, over and above that being contained in either the original data or the forecasts themselves. Therefore, it can be used successfully in providing methods which will have a high, a priori, chance of resulting in financial performance enhancements; to this end, we have illustrated this finding with a number of different approaches, including asset rotation and portfolio construction. Next, we show that the MCDA ranked variables can be used for both in-sample explaining and out-of-sample forecasting of critical economic variables, such as the real GDP growth or the unemployment rate, so that MCDA might be able to assist in identifying leading indicator properties for economic forecasting. The evaluation of the suggested approach entails extensive empirical testing on the various US economy market sectors, as expressed by the corresponding S&P 500 Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), for a period of 22 years, documenting specific economic stylized facts, reported for first time in the relevant literature.

Forward-looking information: does IIRC framework adoption matter?

Forward-looking information: does IIRC framework adoption matter?

GENDER DIVERSITY, BOARD SIZE, AND FIRM AGE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION DISCLOSURE AND ITS IMPACT ON FUTURE PROFITABILTY

Objective – This study aims to determine the effect of gender diversity on board, board size, and firm age on forward-looking information disclosure in the company's financial statements. In addition, it is also to determine the impact of forward-looking information disclosure on future profitability. Design/Methodology/Approach – The method used in this research is a quantitative approach. Using purposive sampling technique, the final sample is 122 samples of manufacturing companies listed on the IDX during the 2020-2022 period. The data was processed using multiple regression analysis using by SPSS 25 software. Findings – This study found that gender diversity and board size variables have no effect on forward-looking information disclosure. Meanwhile, firm age has a significant negative effect on forward-looking disclosure. This study also found that forward-looking disclosure has a positive effect on future profitability. Conclusion and Implications – This study shows that among gender diversity, board size and firm age, only firm age has an effect on forward-looking information disclosure. In addition, this study shows that forward looking disclosure also plays an important role in improving financial performance and market reputation.

Estimation of expected return integrating real-time asset prices implied information and historical data

In this paper, we develop a novel estimation for expected stock returns combining forward-looking information implied by real-time asset prices and backward-looking information implied by historical data. Considering a general heterogeneous market composed of both informed investors and noise investors, we investigate the market equilibrium characterized by the expected returns, risk-neutral moments and market portfolio. To mitigate the negative impact of the market noise on the forward-looking information implied in market equilibrium, we then incorporate historical data and propose the combined estimation for expected return within a Bayesian framework. The combined estimation is adaptive to the market composition and adjustable to changes in market states. Monte Carlo simulations and empirical studies are performed to validate the merits of the proposed approach.

Forward-looking disclosure effects on stock liquidity in China: Evidence from MD&A text analysis

We investigate the impact of forward-looking disclosures in annual reports on stock liquidity in China. Analysis of the MD&A sections within annual reports demonstrate a strong positive correlation between forward-looking disclosures and a company's stock liquidity. This promotional effect appears more pronounced within high-tech companies and those with lower levels of information transparency. Mechanistic tests indicate that the increase in equity liquidity attributable to forward-looking disclosures can be traced to heightened interest from analysts and media coverage. Further examination of the impact of MD&A textual characteristics reveals that improvements in the readability and tone of the text strengthen the effect of forward-looking information on enhancing stock liquidity. Economic consequence tests show that forward-looking disclosures not only enhance stock liquidity but also contribute to expanding investment scale, reducing financing costs, and improving both future firm performance and market valuation. These findings suggest that augmenting the efficiency of capital market information dissemination could significantly bolster financial support for the real economy.

Contemporary insights on corporate guidance: A discussion of Call, Hribar, Skinner, and Volant (2024)

Guidance is an important and long-studied topic in the accounting literature. Call, Hribar, Skinner, and Volant (this issue) survey managers who provide guidance and those that do not to generate insights on the costs and benefits of providing guidance. For managers who do provide guidance, perceptions regarding guidance characteristics are elicited. Firm responses are connected to archival data sources, enabling cross-sectional analysis of survey responses and facilitating comparison of self-reported guidance with common guidance proxies in the archival literature. I discuss key insights from the survey, considering the limitations inherent in the survey method. I also clarify what is meant by the term guidance, how it differs from other forward-looking information and how researchers operationalize the guidance construct. I conclude by offering six research questions for future consideration based on the survey evidence.

Does More Frequent Financial Reporting Bring the Future Forward?

SYNOPSIS Exploring mandatory financial reporting frequency changes in the United States from 1954 to 1972, we find that a mandatory increase in reporting frequency is associated with an increase in firms’ future earnings response coefficients. This effect is stronger for firms with higher sales seasonality or operating in industries with lower earnings persistence and for firms that provide more voluntary disclosures of forward-looking information after the reporting frequency increase. We also find that investors increase (decrease) the weight on long-term (near-term) earnings when pricing the firm after the reporting frequency increase. Our findings suggest that more frequent mandatory reporting can enhance the ability of investors to predict future earnings by providing additional useful information on future earnings and by triggering more voluntary disclosures. Our study informs the ongoing policy debates on mandatory financial reporting frequency by highlighting the informational benefit of frequent financial reporting for investors. Data Availability: Data are available from public sources identified in the paper. JEL Classifications: G14; M41; M48.

Environmental legal institutions and management earnings forecasts: Evidence from the establishment of environmental courts in China

This paper investigates whether and how managers of highly polluting firms adjust their earnings forecast behaviors in response to the introduction of environmental legal institutions. Using the establishment of environmental courts in China as a quasi-natural experiment, our triple difference-in-differences (DID) estimation shows that environmental courts significantly increase the likelihood of management earnings forecasts for highly polluting firms, compared to non-highly polluting firms. This association becomes more pronounced for firms with stronger monitoring power, higher environmental litigation risk, and greater earnings uncertainty. Additionally, we show that highly polluting firms improve the precision and accuracy of their management earnings forecasts following the establishment of environmental courts. Furthermore, we provide evidence that our results do not support the opportunistic perspective that suggests managers strategically issue more positive earnings forecasts to inflate stakeholders' expectations subsequent to the implementation of environmental courts. Overall, our research indicates that environmental legal institutions make firms with greater environmental concerns to provide more forward-looking information, thereby alleviating stakeholders’ apprehensions regarding future profitability prospects.

Shareholder Protection in Saudi Companies Law: Assessing Merger and Acquisition Efficacy for Unlisted Joint Stock Companies

This paper explores the legal protections afforded to shareholders of unlisted joint stock companies in Saudi Arabia during merger and acquisition activities. There are significant risks associated with using tools like mergers and acquisitions, including market share loss and decreased profitability for shareholders. Thus, this study aims to analyse the Saudi Companies Law for potential gaps that may affect shareholder legal protections. The researchers primarily use a doctrinal legal methodology to assess the legal framework. This approach provides that the study is based on an examination of the legal framework of Saudi Arabia such as statutes, rules, principles, and cases . It will also apply the analytical approach to evaluate the legal framework's fundamentals, conceptual problems, and practical effects, to make sure that the study finds opportunities for improvement. The Article identifies the differences between unlisted and listed companies concerning document disclosure requirements, lack of the method used for asset valuation, lack of forward-looking information disclosure, the absence of obligatory independent financial reports and unclear definitions of shareholder rights to oppose or exit mergers and acquisitions at fair value. The study found that these areas represent potential gaps that could undermine shareholders of unlisted joint stock, improvements to the law, such as the adoption of independent valuation standards, mandatory financial disclosures, and clearer expression of shareholder rights.

The impact of forward-looking disclosure on the transparency of integrated reporting through identifying risks and opportunities, developing strategies, and allocating resources.

The research aims to reveal the extent to which forward-looking information contributes to influencing the transparency of the content of integrated reports through disclosure of risks, opportunities, strategy, and resource allocation. A questionnaire was conducted that clarifies the extent to which forward-looking information can enhance the transparency of integrated reports. The questionnaire was distributed to a group of beneficiaries of forward-looking information in the Iraqi stock market, including investors for the most part, and some auditors. The most important conclusions that were reached are that there is a positive (direct) relationship with a moral effect between forward-looking disclosure and knowledge of risks. And opportunities, strategy, and resource allocation. The most important recommendations are the preparation of training workshops by the Iraqi Stock Exchange to manage the economic unit, to help it know how to forecast and the basics of preparing forward-looking information.

Rethinking the Standard-Setting Process: The Role of Intangibles

ABSTRACT This think piece looks at the traditional reporting for intangibles and concludes that the measuring and reporting of intangibles needs a structural rethinking to incorporate 21st-century technology involving new forward-looking information and methods to provide information that is consistent with current capabilities (e.g., apps, bots, multiple databases, artificial intelligence). Traditional measurement methods, first published by Fra Luca Pacioli, satisfied business needs for centuries, but they limit modern external stakeholders’ ability to evaluate and compare firms’ current performance or predict their future performance. The traditional concepts of articulation, consolidation, and valuation of intangibles are inadequate, and sometimes blatantly misleading. Further, empirical research has ignored the emergence of new circumstances in business operations and accounting technology. The goal of this think piece is to discuss the traditional backward-looking approach to financial reporting for intangibles and to outline some considerations for developing a new system.

Pre-publication revisions of bank financial statements: A novel way to monitor banks?

We investigate whether pre-publication revisions of bank financial statements contain forward-looking information about bank risk. Using 7.4 million observations of monthly financial reports from all banks in Brazil during 2007–2019, we show that 78 % of all revisions occur before the publication of these statements. The frequency, missing of reporting deadlines, and severity of revisions are positively related to future bank risk. Using machine learning techniques, we provide evidence on mechanisms through which revisions affect bank risk. Our findings suggest that private information about pre-publication revisions is useful for supervisors to monitor banks.

NON-FINANCIAL INFORMATION DISCLOSURES AND FIRM PERFORMANCE OF LISTED NON-FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRMS IN NIGERIA

This study explored the impact of non-financial information disclosures on the performance of non-financial services firms listed in Nigeria. It utilized an ex-post facto research design on panel data extracted from annual financial reports of selected firms spanning from 2013 to 2022. The methodology involved Generalized Linear Models (GLS) regression analysis, performed using E-Views V.9.0 software. Diagnostic tests were conducted to ensure compliance with panel assumptions, and hypotheses were evaluated based on the specific model formulated. The study utilized two models with dependent variables being accounting-based (Return on Equity - ROE) and market-based (Net Assets per Share - NAPS) to measure various independent variables (environmental, social, corporate governance, and forward looking disclosures). With p-values of 0.000 and 0.0433 for the models ROE and NAPS, respectively, the analysis's findings showed that environmental disclosures significantly and favourably affect the performance of listed non-financial companies in Nigeria. Social disclosures had negative p-values in both NAPS and ROE (0.0113 and 0.1310, respectively). However, corporate governance was statistically significant in ROE but negligible in NAPS. Additionally, with p-values of 0.0000 and 0.0230 for ROE and NAPS, respectively, the study demonstrated that forward-looking information positively and significantly impacted the performance of quoted non-financial firms in Nigeria. The study concludes that non-financial information disclosure has a mixed effect on the financial performance of quoted firms in Nigeria's non-financial services sector. It recommends regulatory standardization for forward-looking disclosures. Furthermore, investors are advised to consider future investment projections alongside financial statements to gain a comprehensive understanding of a firm's future outlook.
 Keywords: Non-financial information disclosures, Performance, Non-financial firms, Return on Equity, and Net Assets per Share.

Exploring Forward-Looking Information Disclosure Practices: Insights from the Malaysian Landscape in the IFRS Era

Exploring Forward-Looking Information Disclosure Practices: Insights from the Malaysian Landscape in the IFRS Era

Do analysts provide information about other comprehensive income in book value forecasts for financial firms?

Analysts' earnings forecasts exclude other comprehensive income (OCI). However, OCI affects firm value on a dollar-for-dollar basis and can enhance investors' assessments of the riskiness of firms' equity capital. Focusing on financial firms and using analysts' book value per share (BVPS) forecasts as a proxy for forward-looking information about OCI, we examine whether analysts provide information about future OCI via BVPS forecasts, whether investors respond to BVPS innovations (which should include OCI innovations), and whether such innovations are more useful to investors in financial firms with difficult-to-value financial assets. We find evidence consistent with: 1) Analysts' BVPS forecasts generally conveying at least some information about future OCI; and, 2) The market responding to whether firms miss analysts' consensus BVPS expectations (which should include OCI expectations), with stronger evidence for firms with larger holdings of difficult-to-value financial assets. The evidence supports the intuition that analysts provide at least some information about future OCI in their BVPS forecasts.