Value Relevance Of Accounting Numbers Research Articles

Value relevance of accounting numbers and sustainability information in Europe: Empirical evidence from nonfinancial companies

Information is considered value relevant when used by financial markets in equity valuation and is reflected in market values. The value relevance of different information, such as accounting numbers, changes according to shifts in investors’ needs. Given the rising importance of environmental and social agendas for policymakers and practitioners, this study examines whether accounting numbers have lost explanatory power and sustainability information has become value relevant. The analysis focuses on 3,025 nonfinancial companies operating in the eurozone from 2005 to 2020. This study makes several contributions to the extant literature. First, analyzing the trend in the value relevance of financial accounting numbers, the results point to an overall decrease in the explanatory power of book values and earnings, particularly for environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-rated companies. However, the results indicate that ESG ratings have not gained value relevance over time. These findings have important implications for policymakers and practitioners. In line with the concept of “double materiality,” implementing ESG agendas will be possible only by redirecting corporate investment decision and increasing awareness of sustainability issues. This paper documents that such a shift has not yet been accomplished, despite the increasing commitment of the European Union to the ESG agenda.

Value relevance of IFRS 9: The influence of country factors and heterogeneous strengths in the European banking sector

AbstractThis study focuses on investor reactions to financial instrument recognition and measurement in the banking sector under the new International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 9, Financial Instruments. The research tests the combined value relevance of accounting numbers before and after the mandatory transition to IFRS 9 in Europe. Furthermore, we verify the influence of country factors and heterogeneous strengths on the value relevance of the aforementioned standard. To this end, we adopt a sample consisting of 215 banks listed in Europe, for the years 2015–2020. We find a significant change in the explanatory power of value‐relevance regressions in 2015–2017 compared to 2018–2020. In addition, we find that accounting numbers have incremental value relevance in countries characterized by “good” governance indicators and high heterogeneous strength, namely investors pay attention to the strength of the bank authority. This study makes three main contributions to the literature. First, it complements the IFRS 9 literature by providing new evidence. Second, its insights can be used to support investment decisions. Last, the findings help regulators and standard‐setters to verify the impact of the new measures delineated by the standard.

The Value Relevance of Accounting Numbers in Presence of the Equity Method Before and After IFRS 11: Evidence from France

ABSTRACT This article studies the effects of IFRS 11 on the value relevance of accounting numbers (VRAN) in France. In 2014, IFRS 11 made the equity method (EM) mandatory to account for joint ventures (JVs) and disallowed proportionate consolidation, the method previously preferred by French groups. Panel method regressions are used to examine the evolution of value relevance in listed groups’ financial statements over a long period (2007–2020). Generalization of the EM reallocates the VRAN, and post-IFRS 11 EM-related numbers are significantly and negatively linked to market value, raising questions about their faithfulness. These results concern all groups using the EM, whatever method they previously used for JVs. This study also looks at the standard-setters’ proposed integral/non-integral classification of net income from JVs and associates, which is found to be non-value relevant. These results have implications at standard-setting level for improving the quality of financial reporting, and for investors.

Comparing the value-relevance of AAOIFI versus IFRS accounting numbers in the Takaful industry

PurposeThis study aims to compare the value relevance of accounting numbers prepared under the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) standards with those produced under the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for Takaful companies (TC).Design/methodology/approachThe authors assess the value relevance of accounting numbers using the Easton and Harris (1991) and Ohlson (1995) return and price models. They also use 54 insurance companies from 10 developing countries in Asia and the Middle East from 2006 to 2015.FindingsThe analysis shows that book value is significantly related to stock price under AAOIFI and IFRS. It also shows that TC adopting AAOIFI accounting standards have a more significant effect on stock price. This suggests that AAOIFI standards are more value relevant than IFRS.Practical implicationsTC and their stakeholders can use the findings to determine which accounting standards (IFRS or AAOIFI) produce the more relevant accounting information. This study is useful for investors that consider Islamic ethical practices to make their investment decisions for the standards-setting bodies that focus on establishing accounting standards for the Takaful industry.Originality/valueThe authors investigate a new aspect of the topic of value relevance. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, they believe this is the first paper examining the value relevance of TC’ accounting information prepared under AAOIFI and IFRS.

VALUE RELEVANCE OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION FOR LISTED FINANCIAL SERVICE FIRMS IN NIGERIA

Over a 5-year period from 2016 to 2020, this paper compares the value relevance of accounting numbers of banks and insurance firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange market. The analysis used data from annual accounts of these companies and the Nigerian Stock Exchange facts sheet to apply Ohlson's (1995) valuation model to test the comparative value validity of accounting numbers of these two sub-sectors in the financial service industry. The findings of the empirical analyses revealed the importance of accounting information's value relevance to listed group financial service firms in Nigeria. Furthermore, the accounting numbers of banks have been found to be more important in terms of information quality than the accounting numbers of insurance firms. As a result, the paper proposes that firms' operations be sustained in order to improve profits, performance, and shareholder wealth.

Value relevance of book values, earnings, and future earnings: evidence by time, life cycle stage, and market uncertainty

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the role of book values, earnings, and future earnings in equity valuation by time, life cycle stage, and market uncertainty using samples of USA and Japanese companies.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs Lubberink and Willett (2021) methodology in using log-linear models to estimate the value relevance of accounting numbers and follows Schaberl (2016) approach to measure %incremental value relevance. The study also includes future earnings in a basic valuation model (Ohlson, 1995) to explore the extent to which stock prices are forward looking.FindingsThis study finds a significant increase by time in the relative value relevance of a combined model with book values and earnings and a combined model with future earnings for both countries. However, the incremental value relevance of book values, earnings, and future earnings remain stable over time. The results by life cycle stage indicate that incremental value relevance of future earnings and earnings are more (less) pronounced for firms in the intro (mature) life cycle stage while the incremental value relevance of book values is highest for firms in the decline stage for both countries. The results by market uncertainty indicate that firms with high market uncertainty display higher incremental value relevance of book values for both countries. The results on future earnings are mixed as USA (Japan) firms with high (low) market uncertainty display more (less) incremental value relevance of future earnings.Practical implicationsThe findings in this study enhance the merits of two basic financial statements (balance sheet and income statement) in a firm's equity valuation for potential investors and existing shareholders and document an additional role of future earnings information in reflecting a firm's stock price, which is beyond what book values and current earnings have already contributed.Originality/valueThis is the first study that uses log-linear models to estimate the value relevance of accounting numbers and investigates value relevance of accounting information in three views: time, life cycle stage, and market uncertainty.

Auditor Independence and Value Relevance in the European Banking Sector: Do Investor Protection Environment and Corporate Governance Matter?

Our study explores the effects of statutory auditor’s independence on value relevance, measuring the different impact against the quality of country-level investor’s protection and firm-level corporate governance. A sample of 98 European financial entities listed on the stock markets of 15 countries in the period from 2009 to 2014 is used to measure statutory auditor independence by taking into account audit firm tenure, partner tenure, and the percentage of nonaudit fees. Findings demonstrate that in different investor protection environments or in the presence of differences in corporate governance quality, phenomena that could be interpreted as a deterioration of the auditor independence do not necessarily determine a decrease in the value relevance of accounting numbers. Rather, they may determine a possible increase if the knowledge spillover effects prevail over the perception that independence has deteriorated. These findings add to the literature and provide regulators with insights by suggesting that not only accounting and auditing practices but also country features or firm-level corporate governance quality might influence the outcome of reforms on the independence of the statutory auditor as well as value relevance judgments.

The Evolution in Value Relevance of Accounting Measures in Indonesia

This paper utilizes the model of share price, which is derived from the valuation model of residual income, to rigorously assess the evolution of value relevance of accounting measures in Indonesia, an emerging market country which has its landscape of equity valuation changed substantially. Using two different approaches, cross sectional and panel regressions, the results indicates a strong linear association between share price and accounting measures. Cross-sectional yearly price regressions provide a strong evidence of non-linear changes on the value relevance of accounting measures over time. Moreover, using panel data analysis, the results of unconditional comparison tests reveal that that the increased value-relevance of the balance sheet would be offset by a reduction of the value-relevance of earnings per share during IFRS regime. It could potentially contribute to explain the decrease in value relevance of accounting numbers during the switchover to IFRS in Indonesia.

Investor protection, cross-listing and accounting quality

Using 42,808 firm-year observations from 32 countries around the world, we investigate whether cross-listing in the US is associated with better accounting quality, and whether investor protection moderates the effect of cross-listing on accounting quality. Our main results show firms that are cross-listed in the US exhibit more timely reporting of losses, greater tendency to manage earnings downward, and more value relevance of accounting numbers as compared to their domestic counterparts. Cross-listed firms originating from high investor protection jurisdictions, particularly in high anti-director rights and common law countries, exhibit greater tendency to recognise a more timely reporting of losses and to manage earnings downward but exhibit lower value relevance of earnings as compared to cross-listed firms domiciled in low anti-director rights and non-common law countries. These results suggest that the strength of investor protection in home country plays an important role in determining the quality of accounting numbers of cross-listed firms.

Who Benefits From IFRS Convergence in China?

We study the ex ante stock market reactions to events leading up to China’s convergence to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The literature consistently shows that the benefits of mandatory IFRS convergence are concentrated in countries with stronger legal enforcement and investor protection. Given that these institutional characteristics are weaker in China relative to more developed Western economies, whether mandating IFRS will benefit the Chinese capital market is an interesting and important, but unanswered question. We find that the Chinese stock market reacts favorably to events leading up to IFRS convergence, and this effect is more pronounced among firms with greater dependence on external capital. This result suggests the market anticipates that such firms will benefit more from IFRS convergence, possibly because of improved financial reporting quality and access to external financing. Additional tests confirm that the value relevance of accounting numbers for these firms is higher following IFRS convergence.

Who Benefits from IFRS Convergence in China?

We study the ex ante stock market reactions to events leading up to China’s convergence to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The literature consistently shows that the benefits of mandatory IFRS convergence are concentrated in countries with stronger legal enforcement and investor protection. Given that these institutional characteristics are weaker in China relative to more developed Western economies, whether mandating IFRS will benefit the Chinese capital market is an interesting and important, but unanswered question. We find that the Chinese stock market reacts favorably to events leading up to IFRS convergence, and this effect is more pronounced among firms with greater dependence on external capital. This result suggests the market anticipates that such firms will benefit more from IFRS convergence, possibly because of improved financial reporting quality and access to external financing. Additional tests confirm that the value relevance of accounting numbers for these firms is higher following IFRS convergence.

PCAOB International Inspections and Audit Quality

ABSTRACTWe investigate the impact of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's (PCAOB) first-time inspections of foreign accounting firms by examining abnormal accruals around the inspection year, and the value relevance of accounting numbers around the inspection report date, for their U.S. cross-listed clients. We document lower abnormal accruals in the post-inspection period, and greater value relevance of accounting numbers in the post-report period for clients of the inspected auditors, compared with non-cross-listed clients or clients of non-inspected auditors within the inspected countries. Comparisons of the PCAOB's joint inspections with PCAOB stand-alone inspections indicate that while both experience lower post-inspection abnormal accruals, the former benefit more than the latter. The value relevance measure, in contrast, shows greater increases for the PCAOB stand-alone inspections than for joint inspections. Comparing the inspection effects for auditors with and without deficiency reports, we find no systematic differences for accruals or for value relevance.

The importance of the IFRS in India

In this article the authors study the impact of the mandatory International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) adoption has on the value relevance of accounting numbers based on a sample of 440 listed firms. The aim is to identify the effects of the mandatory IFRS adoption by relying on panel data gathered over the period 2002 to 2012 resulting in more than 4,840 firm-year observations. Two models of Panel regression (stock returns and price models) were employed. The main finding shows that the adoption of IFRS across the studied period results to some improvement in the value relevance of accounting information with the stock return model. With respect to the price models, our result shows that there was slight difference in the value relevance of accounting information after the mandatory IFR adoption across India listed firms.

Agency cost of type I and accounting numbers in Australia and India

This paper has as objective to assess the agency cost of type I on the value relevance of accounting numbers (earnings and book value) for all listed firms in the manufacturing, retailing and service industries in Australia and India from 2005 to 2012 using the modified version of the Ohlson’ model in Faud and Mohd, (2008) where price is express as a linear function of earnings, book value and various accounting numbers. As predicted, the results show that both earnings and book value are value relevance for the manufacturing, retailing and servicing industry in Australia and India. The presence of the free cash flow agency problem caused the value relevance of earnings and book value to decline in Australia and India. However, the effect is not stable across the difference industries. The results show that in the manufacturing industry, the effect caused by the free cash flow agency problem is relatively higher for Australia and India than in the retail and service industries. As a result, the firms in the manufacturing with free cash flow agency problem have lower earnings (book value) coefficients than those without free cash flow agency problem

Linguistic Qualities of Financial Statements in Poland: Preparer and User Perspective

The goal of this paper is to explore the use of narratives in financial statements prepared in the Polish language. We use genre analysis and compare financial statements with management reports to contrast the two genres and describe the interconnections between them. The paper contributes to a growing body of research concerning the communication strategies used by preparers, the interpretation strategies of the users and the effect of linguistic qualities on the value relevance of accounting numbers. Extant literature concerns only statements written in English languages, while the continental European languages remain unexplored. The study of Polish language communications is valuable, because Polish shares a number of characteristics with Russian, German, French and other continental languages. We focus on notes concerning goodwill impairment tests because the communication of judgments involved offers a challenge. We found that the factual style, avoidance of evaluative terms and deixis are the distinguishing characteristics of financial statements. In contrast, management reports contain a variety of strategies, including a liberal use of evaluation and deixis. Preparers of financial statements seem to be discouraged from discussing potentially significant, negative factors. The study of connections between the two reports shows, that the negative factors can be identified in the management reports, following hints left by the preparers, but this is possible only for professional users.

The effects of mandatory IFRS adoption: A review of evidence based on accounting standard setting criteria

The present article attempts to provide a broad picture regarding the consequences of the mandatory adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) around the world by reviewing extant empirical evidence relating to four comprehensive accounting standard setting criteria: decision usefulness, reduction of information asymmetry, economic consequences of standards and political aspects of standard. The review reveals that mixed evidence exists regarding the decision usefulness of accounting numbers under the IFRS. The majority of the extant studies reviewed find that the value relevance of accounting numbers and financial reporting comparability is enhanced following the adoption of the IFRS. However, mixed evidence exists regarding the effect of IFRS adoption on earnings management, timely loss recognition and other properties of accounting quality. The majority of the extant empirical studies reviewed find a reduction in information asymmetry (enhanced analysts forecast accuracy, consensus and other properties). Generally, the extant studies reviewed provide evidence regarding favourable economic consequences (lower cost of equity and increasing foreign investment) under the IFRS regime. Certain studies provide evidence regarding the role of political pressures and lobbying activities in the development of a number of standards by the International Accounting Standards Board. A number of studies find that the favourable consequences following the adoption of the IFRS regime dependent on the strength of reporting incentives for a firm and the strength of a country’s enforcement system. In the absence of sufficient evidence regarding the consequences of IFRS adoption in developing countries and the significant differences in the institutional features of such countries, the aforementioned conclusions are less likely to be generalizable to developing countries. The conclusion of the present study is likely to be useful for international and national authority bodies and the users of financial reports. The conclusions also provide significant suggestions for further research regarding the consequences of IFRS adoption.

Value Relevance of Accounting Numbers : Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR ) Disclosures of Islamic Banks in Malaysia

The objective of this study is to examine whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures are influenced by the bank specific factor namely bank leverage, size and profitability in Islamic bank in Malaysia. It relates to the value relevance of accounting numbers which intended to assess how well accounting numbers reflect the determinants of CSR among Malaysian Islamic Banks. The determinants of CSR disclosures are investigated using both the Stakeholder Theory and the Agency Theory. This paper hypothesized that lowly leveraged banks will tend to make larger donations than highly leveraged banks. Therefore, leverage negatively influences the disclosure of CSR. Large and profitable banks will tend to be involved in social role than small and less profitable banks. Thus, there is a positive association between corporate social role and the bank's size and profit.

The Effect of Mandatory Adoption of IFRS on Earnings Quality: Evidence from the European Union

ABSTRACTThis paper addresses the question whether the mandatory adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is associated with higher accounting quality. More specifically, we investigate whether the application of IFRS in 15 European Union (EU) countries is associated with less earnings management and higher timeliness, conditional conservatism, and value relevance of accounting numbers. Our results suggest that there has been some improvement in accounting quality between the pre- and post-IFRS adoption periods. In particular, we find that firms exhibit an increase in the accounting-based attributes, but a decrease in the market-based after the adoption of IFRS in 2005. Interestingly, the findings are more pronounced for the firms in countries where the distance between the pre-existing national GAAP and IFRS is important. Furthermore, we are unable to identify any change within firms that have converged their local GAAP toward IFRS before the mandatory transition.

Value relevance of IFRS mandatory disclosure requirements

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to address recent calls for research regarding the valuation implications of mandatory disclosure requirements (cf. Hassanet al., 2009; Leuz and Wysocki, 2008; Schipper, 2007).Design/methodology/approach– The paper measures compliance with all International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) mandatory disclosure requirements for a sample of firms. The paper subsequently explores whether the compliance scores (i.e. the mandatory disclosure levels) are value relevant and whether the value relevance of accounting numbers differs across high- and low-compliance/disclosure companies.Findings– The paper finds that the levels of mandatory disclosures are value relevant. Additionally, not only the relative value relevance (i.e.R2) but also the valuation coefficient of net income of high-compliance companies is significantly higher than that of low-compliance companies.Research limitations/implications– This paper is an indicative single country case study that focuses on the IFRS adoption year (2005) in the EU. It forms a new avenue for research regarding the valuation implications of mandatory disclosure requirements. It remains to future research to examine whether the findings also hold in other countries and periods.Practical implications– These findings are expected to be particularly relevant to standard setters and regulatory bodies that are concerned about the implications of mandatory disclosure requirements (Schipper, 2007).Originality/value– To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper that examines the value relevance implications of IFRS mandatory disclosure requirements, focusing on European country after 2005. The authors indicate that IFRS mandatory disclosures do lead to more transparent financial statements (cf. Pownall and Schipper, 1999), mitigating concerns about companies’ fundamentals (cf. Anctilet al., 2004).

Endogenous problems in cross-sectional valuation models based on accounting information

The main purpose of this paper is to deal with the analysis of the scale effect in the value-relevance of accounting numbers. We examine the impacts of widely used deflators on the adjustment of scale effect. We find that most of the usual deflators employed in the literature generate endogeneity problems. In this paper we recommend the use of exogenous deflator such as the number of employees in market-based accounting research models. This alternative deflator produces, at least for the USA and Canada data, slightly better statistical results than other (endogenous) deflators such as the market value, the book value of equity, or the total assets.