长期资产减值准备:盈余质量与市场反应

对2001～2006年旧资产减值会计制度实施期间的相关数据进行检验,本文发现长期资产减值准备所产生的应计盈余明显地降低了会计盈余的质量。按长期资产减值准备的应计盈余所构建的逆向套利组合能获得显著的超额报酬率,长期资产减值准备的应计盈余与超额回报负相关,说明市场不能识别长期资产减值准备对会计盈余质量的影响。本文的结论支持新会计准则禁止长期资产减值准备转回的规定。     

分割资本市场下的会计信息价值研究

本文采用事件研究和面板数据回归方法对我国A股～H股双重上市公司境内外报表披露的会计盈余和帐面净值与股票超额收益的相关性进行了研究。分析表明,在A股市场上,境内报表披露的会计盈余等信息与A股超额收益之间没有显著的价值相关性;境内外报表关于会计盈余和账面净值的调整值对A股价格也没有影响;在H股市场,会计信息与股价之间的相关性较强,不仅境外报表披露的主要会计指标能够有效解释年报披露期间H股超额收益,而且境内外报表的会计盈余和账面净值调整值还具有增量信息价值。由此我们认为中国内地资本市场与香港资本市场的分割效应较为明显。     

从境内外会计准则差异谈我国银行财务会计改革

尽管我国银行会计准则的国际化程度有一定的改进,但与国际会计准则相比在某些项目上仍存在一定差异.随着资本市场的发展和金融工具的日益丰富,对银行尤其是上市银行信息披露的要求也越来越高.因此,分析境内外会计准则的差异,借鉴国际会计准则,有针对性地完善会计准则,对于提高银行信息质量、改善银行经营管理是十分必要的.本文重点从境内外会计准则差异分析人手,分析我国银行会计准则的国际化,进而提出我国银行财务会计改革建议.     

新准则下我国A股的应计异象存在性研究

会计利润由会计应计和经营现金流组成，但两者之间存在差异。如果投资者不能区分两者之间的差异，会高估应计部分的持续性．从而高估盈利和股价，即产生所谓的应计异象。本文检验了新会计准则施行后我国资本市场上应计异象的存在性。研究结论为：第一，总体看我国A股存在显著的应计异象。但各年的情况各不相同，以2009—2010年尤为明显．．第二．对我国A股市场的应计异象需要视具体情况分别进行分析。另外，研究还发现，在样本期内，A股公司的市场规模与其超额回报显著负相关。     

会计-税收差异、未来盈余增长与投资者认知偏差——基于我国上市公司的经验证据

基于会计制度和税收法规两套体系而产生的会计-税收差异普遍存在且不可消除,本文以2008-2012年我国A股上市公司为研究样本,首先研究了会计-税收差异、暂时性会计-税收差异及永久性会计-税收差异与公司未来盈余增长的关系,再采用Fama-Mac Beth回归等方法观察投资者对会计-税收差异的反应,最后构建投资组合,运用长窗口事件研究法,计算购买并持有超额收益,观察投资者能否利用会计-税收差异所蕴含的信息获得超额收益。研究结果表明会计-税收差异、暂时性会计-税收差异与公司未来盈余增长显著相关,本文构建的投资组合能获得显著超额收益,市场对会计-税收差异信息存在误定价,这种投资者认知偏差是资本市场存在的一个"市场异象"。     

盈余管理方式与信贷资源配置

本文以2006—2013年我国A股上市公司为研究对象,从真实盈余管理和应计盈余管理双重视角,考察了盈余管理行为对信贷资源配置的影响。研究发现:企业通过盈余管理上调利润越多,获取了更多的信贷资源;国有企业通过应计盈余管理获取信贷资源的现象更明显,非国有企业通过真实盈余管理获取信贷资源的现象更明显。研究表明:一方面,企业通过盈余管理满足银行对自身盈利能力的要求,获取了更多的信贷资源;另一方面,我国银行无法识别贷款企业的盈余管理行为,盈余管理加大了银行的信贷风险。本文从贷款企业的盈余管理行为出发,为优化信贷资源配置提供了一个全新的视角,弥补了现有文献较为片面的认识。     

IPO公司盈余管理行为选择及不同市场间的差异

本文主要研究了我国证券市场IPO公司进行IPO时应计和真实盈余管理行为选择及不同市场间盈余管理行为的差异。研究结果表明,IPO公司在IPO事件中会运用应计和真实两种盈余管理行为;显著的应计盈余管理行为主要出现在IPO当年,显著的真实盈余管理行为主要出现在IPO之后一年;在IPO当年,创业板IPO公司应计盈余管理行为显著强于同期主板/中小板IPO公司应计盈余管理行为;在IPO之后一年,创业板IPO公司真实盈余管理行为显著强于同期主板/中小板IPO公司真实盈余管理行为。本文研究可以为市场监管机构履行的IPO公司监管行为提供重要的参考。     

盈余公告后债券价格反应对股票未来回报的预测研究

本文研究了我国A股上市公司发布盈余公告后,债券价格反应对于关联股票未来回报的预测能力。研究发现,盈余公告前1日至后1日债券收益率的变动可以预测公告公布后窗口期为20日的股票持有超额累计回报;实证结果显示,这种预测能力不会因为盈余信息的好坏而存在显著的差异;最后基于似无相关模型SUR的检验后,发现上市公司的机构持股比例越低,债券价格反应对于股票回报的预测能力越强。本文研究表明,我国被富有经验的投资者所主导的债券市场中债券价格相对于股票价格会更迅速地吸收消化盈余公告信息。     

机构投资者持股与会计盈余宣告的信息含量

本文以我国2001—2004年机构投资者持股的上市公司为样本，从机构投资者对上市公司信息利用状况的视角出发，分析了机构投资者持股与会计盈余宣告信息含量的关系，研究结果发现：机构投资者能够相对较早地解读会计盈余信息，其持股比例越高，盈余宣告后的市场反应越小．会计盈余宣告的信息含量越低。在会计盈余宣告前，机构投资者的持股比例高低与市场的累计超额回报正相关；而在盈余宣告后，机构投资者待股公司的市场累计超额回报出现反转。     

上市公司的盈余管理必然导致会计稳健性下降吗?

本文采用我国沪深两市2007-2014年的A股上市公司数据,研究了应计盈余管理与真实盈余管理对企业会计稳健性的影响。研究结果表明:企业向上的应计盈余管理活动和向上的真实盈余管理活动对会计稳健性具有相反的影响;企业向上的真实盈余管理活动强化了向上的应计盈余管理活动对会计稳健性的负向影响;企业向上的应计盈余管理活动强化了向上的真实盈余管理活动对会计稳健性的正向影响。因此,由于同时存在正负抵消和边际强化作用,企业实施向上的盈余管理活动并不必然导致会计稳健性下降。企业可能组合采用两种盈余管理方式进行盈余操控而同时保持会计稳健性相对稳定。     

Analyst Earnings Forecast Revisions and the Pricing of Accruals

We investigate the relation between two market anomalies to provide insights into analysts role as information intermediaries. Prior research finds that accruals and analyst earnings forecast revisions predict future returns. We find that the accrual and forecast revision strategies generate hedge returns of 15.5% and 5.5% when implemented independently. Strikingly, a combined strategy that uses forecast revisions to refine the accrual strategy generates a hedge return of 28.5%. Firms with consistent accrual and forecast revision signals have less persistent accruals and earnings. We also find that accruals can be used to refine the forecast revision strategy—high accruals are associated with overoptimism in analyst forecasts. Our findings indicate that although forecast revisions reflect information about accrual and earnings persistence beyond that reflected in the level of current year accruals, investors do not fully incorporate this information into their valuation assessments.     

The Influence of Improvements in Accounting Standards on Earnings Management: The Case of IFRS

This article examines the effect of improvements in the quality of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on the level of earnings management. In order to achieve this aim, we study the accounting quality of German listed companies through discretionary accruals yielded from 1998 to 2006. We assess the effectiveness of efforts by the International Accounting Standards Board to improve IFRS by using two indices that consider the revision process of the standards, and their mandatory application. Our results indicate that the improvement of accounting standards quality significantly reduces the level of reported negative discretionary accruals of the German listed firms during the period of analysis, once incentive variables are controlled. Further, companies gradually assume the quality of the new standards from the moment they can be voluntarily applied.     

Domestic Accounting Standards, International Accounting Standards, and the Predictability of Earnings

We investigate (1) whether the variation in accounting standards across national boundaries relative to International Accounting Standards (IAS) has an impact on the ability of financial analysts to forecast non-U.S. firms' earnings accurately, and (2) whether analyst forecast accuracy changes after firms adopt IAS. IAS are a set of financial reporting policies that typically require increased disclosure and restrict management's choices of measurement methods relative to the accounting standards of our sample firms' countries of domicile. We develop indexes of differences in countries' accounting disclosure and measurement policies relative to IAS, and document that greater differences in accounting standards relative to IAS are significantly and positively associated with the absolute value of analyst earnings forecast errors. Further, we show that analyst forecast accuracy improves after firms adopt IAS. More specifically, after controlling for changes in the market value of equity, changes in analyst following, and changes in the number of news reports, we find that the convergence in firms' accounting policies brought about by adopting IAS is positively associated with the reduction in analyst forecast errors.     

“Big Bang” Accounting Reforms in Japan: Financial Analyst Earnings Forecast Accuracy Declines as the Japanese Government Mandates Japanese Corporations to Adopt International Accounting Standards

The mandated adoption of International Accounting Standards (IAS) for Japanese corporations did not result in improved earnings that forecast predictability. These findings contradict the research findings of Ashbaugh and Pincus (2001). Herrmann, Inoue, and Thomas’ (2003) research findings support the need for mandating the adoption of IAS. They found that Japanese managers were “manipulating” reported earnings by managing the sale of fixed assets and marketable securities. Adoption of IAS decreases the availability of this practice and it was and is expected to increase disclosure and transparency. Increased disclosure and transparency are expected to decrease financial analyst forecast errors, which did not decrease for 139 firms examined in this study for the timeframe of 1999–2002. This research finding does not support the idea that adoption of IAS improves financial information used in decision making relative to forecasting earnings. Assuming that increased predictability indicates higher quality reported earnings and enhanced usefulness of financial information, the mandated adoption of IAS did not result in these. Assuming that adoption of IAS in Japan increased the level of transparency and disclosure by Japanese firms, which made it harder for Japanese firms to manage their earnings in order to meet the managerial earnings forecasts that these firms must make. Thus, after the adoption of IAS in Japan, forecast errors for managerial forecasts of earnings increased. This evidence is new to the literature.     

Hedge Accounting and its Consequences on Portfolio Earnings – A Simulation Study

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze the consequences of cash flow hedge accounting on portfolio earnings of firms focusing on main changes between IFRS 9 and IAS 39. For this purpose, I develop a simulation study which illustrates the quantitative effects on the accounting entries according to the currently applicable hedge accounting methods. It is especially addressed what accounting differences arise and how these distinctions may affect a firm’s earnings. Furthermore, I examine to which firms early switching becomes especially desirable or burdensome. This information is particularly useful to managers and investors. The paper shows that portfolio earnings are affected differently. In the model, IAS 39 may lead to higher or lower earnings for increasing deviations between foreign and domestic interest rates. Additionally, sensitivity to volatility changes varies among the methods. Moreover, a partly ineffective hedging relationship does not necessarily decrease earnings compared to its fully effective counterpart.     

Impact of IFRS in New Zealand on Accounts and Earnings Quality

The impact of the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on the accounts and the quality of earnings of New Zealand firms is examined. Our analysis of IFRS adjustments for the last period under pre‐IFRS NZ Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) reveals that total assets, total liabilities and net profit were significantly higher under IFRS than under pre‐IFRS GAAP. Profit and equity under IFRS were increased by adjustments for goodwill and other intangibles and investment property, and decreased by adjustments for employee benefits and share‐based payments. Using data for 2002–2009, we find that absolute discretionary accruals were significantly higher under IFRS than under pre‐IFRS NZ GAAP, suggesting lower earnings quality under IFRS than under pre‐IFRS NZ GAAP. However, we find no significant differences in signed discretionary accruals and the ability of earnings to predict one‐year‐ahead cash flows between pre‐IFRS NZ GAAP and IFRS. These results are consistent across alternative measures of accruals quality, sample selection and whether firms elected to adopt IFRS in 2005 rather than comply with them in 2007.     

Earnings management and accrual anomaly across market states and business cycles

This paper examines if the conditioning on market states is important to earnings management behaviors and profitability of accrual hedge strategy. This paper discusses four findings. First, accrual profits are consistently positive across both market states and significantly higher in DOWN markets. Second, while earnings management exists in both market states, the management effort is less effective and short-lived in the DOWN state. Third, this paper finds that the accrual effect exists but varies across industries. Finally, this paper examines how business cycles associate with accrual anomaly and show that accruals mispricing cannot be fully captured by macroeconomic model predicted returns.     

什么决定了利润差异:会计准则还是职业判断?——来自中国A、B股市场的初步证据

我国资本市场有少量的公司同时发行A股和B股,这部分公司需要提供两套财务报表,分别遵循了国内会计准则和国际会计准则。我们以我国会计制度改革的特定时期(1998-2000)为背景,以同时发行A、B 股的公司为样本,经过研究发现,那些同时发行A、B股公司所报告的净利润差异,主要不是来自会计准则,而是来自于会计职业判断;而会计职业判断背后的经济动机在于上市公司为了达到保牌的目的。我们的研究丰富了有关会计准则与会计信息质量之间关系的研究。     

IAS Versus U.S. GAAP: Assessing the Quality of Financial Reporting in South Africa,the United Kingdom,and the United States

In this study, we investigate whether financial reporting, using International Accounting Standards (IAS) results in quality disclosures, given differences in institutional and market forces across legal jurisdictions. This study contributes to the global accounting debate by utilizing U.S.-based companies complying with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) as a benchmark for measuring the quality of IAS as applied by South Africa (S.A.) and United Kingdom (U.K.) companies. Although South Africa, United Kingdom, and the United States are common law countries with strong investor protection, South Africa's institutional factors and market forces vary from that of the U.K. and the U.S. South Africa's financial market is less developed than that of the U.K. and the U.S. We compare the discretionary accruals of firms complying with U.S. GAAP to the discretionary accruals of U.K. and S.A. firms complying with IAS. This allows a comparison between companies (S.A. and U.K.) operating under different institutional factors and market forces that have adopted IAS versus U.S. companies that report under U.S. GAAP. Our sample, consisting of U.S., S.A., and U.K. listed firms, contains 3,166 firm-year observations relating to the period 1999–2001. The results of our study indicate that S.A firms utilizing IAS report absolute values of discretionary accruals that are significantly greater than absolute values of discretionary accruals of U.S. firms utilizing U.S. GAAP. In contrast, U.K. firms utilizing IAS report discretionary accruals that are significantly less than the discretionary accruals of companies in the United States reporting under U.S. GAAP. This study contributes to the literature by providing evidence of the quality of financial information prepared under IAS and its dependency on the institutional factors and market forces of a country.     

Value relevance of international accounting standards harmonization: Evidence from A- and B-share markets in China

Applying both the price-levels model and the lagged-price-deflated returns model, we investigated the incremental value relevance of the reconciliation of accounts from the Chinese Accounting Standards (CAS) to the International Accounting Standards (IAS) by those Chinese listed companies that have simultaneously issued A-shares and B-shares. In addition, we examined the usefulness of accounting numbers (earnings and book values) and their value relevance to the A- and B-share markets in China. The study finds that earnings and book values of owners’ equity determined under CAS are more relevant accounting information for the purpose of determining the prices of A- and B-shares. The CAS-based earnings changes were reflected in stock returns in the B-share market, while the CAS-based earnings were closely associated with stock returns in the A-share market. However, the study found that the reconciliation of earnings and book values from CAS to IAS basis is partially value-relevant, mainly to stock prices in the B-share market, while the earnings reconciliation is generally not value-added to stock returns in either the A- or the B-share market. The study results suggest that accounting numbers based on domestic accounting standards, in contrast to IAS, are more value-relevant in the Chinese stock market at present.