Compliance with the Disclosure Requirements of Germany's New Market: IAS Versus US GAAP

This research examines compliance with both International Accounting Standards (IAS) and United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) for companies listed on Germany's New Market. Based on a sample of 100 firms that apply IAS and 100 that apply US GAAP, we investigate the extent to which companies comply with IAS and US GAAP disclosure requirements in their year–2000 financial statements. Compliance levels range from 100% to 41.6%, with an average of 83.7%. The average compliance level is significantly lower for companies that apply IAS as compared to companies applying US GAAP. This study provides the first systematic evidence regarding the enforcement of US GAAP outside the US, and accordingly not subject to Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) review. The results unveil a considerable extent of non–compliance. The overall level of compliance with IAS and US GAAP disclosures is positively related to firms being audited by Big 5 auditing firms and to cross–listings on US exchanges. Compliance is also associated with references to the use of International Standards of Auditing (ISA) or US GAAS in the audit opinion. The findings add to the growing concerns regarding the lack of effective supervision in the German capital market.     

Voluntary Assurance of Voluntary CSR Disclosure

We study a firm's decisions to engage in socially responsible activities, voluntarily report on them, and purchase external assurance of the report. In our signaling model, neither firm type nor the level of activity is observed. We show that if voluntary assurance is not too expensive, the firm that engages in more socially responsible activities purchases external assurance and thus “selects” a separating equilibrium. As a result, CSR reports can be used to infer the level of activity and this causes all firms to engage in more socially responsible activity. Further, when voluntary assurance is required to support a separating equilibrium, greater monitoring by social activists increases the chosen quality of voluntary assurance—voluntary assurance and monitoring by social activists are complements, not substitutes.     

On the Relationship between Voluntary Disclosure,Earnings Smoothing and the Value-Relevance of Earnings: The Case of Switzerland

Abstract

This paper examines whether voluntary disclosure by Swiss firms constrains the use of discretionary accruals to smooth earnings, and explores the effect of voluntary disclosure on the value relevance of earnings. We focus on Swiss firms because Switzerland's financial reporting system provides managers with extensive discretion in corporate disclosure, and there are important variations in the level of information provided in their annual reports. We consider that managers can choose two different ways to voluntarily convey information, either through the quality and quantity of annual report disclosure or, through compliance with International Accounting Standards (IAS)/International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Relying on a simultaneous equations approach, our results suggest that Swiss firms use discretionary accruals to smooth earnings. However, this relation is reduced for firms that voluntarily disclose more information in their annual report or comply with IAS/IFRS or US GAAP. Moreover, we show that discretionary accruals of high disclosers or of firms voluntarily complying with IAS/IFRS or US GAAP receive a lower valuation weight.     

Voluntary adoption of non-local GAAP in the European Union: A study of determinants and consequences

Abstract

This study examines the determinants and consequences of voluntary adoption of non-local accounting principles (non-local GAAP) by firms listed and domiciled in the European Union (EU). We restrict ourselves to the two predominant internationally accepted sets of accounting standards: International Accounting Standards (IAS) and United States generally accepted accounting principles (US GAAP). We have used various sources to identify EU firms that use non-local GAAP. We examine the 1999 annual reports of all these firms, because accounting standard choices in more recent years may be affected by the announcement of the proposal by the European Commission in February 2001 to mandate IAS usage from 2005 on. The maintained hypothesis is that firms that voluntarily adopt IAS or US GAAP expect to experience net benefits from adoption. The finding that 133 non-financial firms in the EU voluntarily used non-local GAAP in 1999 suggests that the majority of listed EU firms does not expect to benefit from non-local GAAP adoption. By studying the characteristics of non-local GAAP adopters this study provides insight into the determinants of non-local GAAP adoption. We find that firms voluntarily using non-local GAAP are more likely to be listed on a US exchange, the EASDAQ exchange in Brussels, and have more geographically dispersed operations. Furthermore, they are more likely to be domiciled in a country with lower quality financial reporting and where IAS is explicitly allowed as an alternative to local GAAP. We also study whether non-local GAAP adopters have lower levels of information asymmetry, a much cited benefit of using more transparent financial reporting, than non-adopters. We examine three proxies for information asymmetry: analyst following, cost of equity capital, and uncertainty among analysts and investors (forecast dispersion and stock return volatility). We document a positive effect of non-local GAAP adoption on analyst following, but fail to find evidence of a lower cost of capital for non-local GAAP adopters. Contrary to expectations, uncertainty among analysts and investors appears to be higher for firms using IAS or US GAAP than for firms using local GAAP. However, by comparing ‘early’ and ‘late’ adopters, we find some evidence that suggests that benefits take some time to fully materialise.     

信息披露监管:强制披露与自愿披露的协调

从信息是否可观测、可核实的经济特性出发,分析强制性信息披露制度有限性的根源及其与自愿性信息披露制度共存的问题.强制性信息披露制度对披露一些动机不可观测、内容不可核实的信息存在一定的有限性,而自愿性信息披露制度则能很好地对这类信息进行披露,因此两种信息披露制度可以实现一定的共存,使信息披露制度体系从单纯以管制为主转变为激励与管制并重.     

International Convergence of Accounting Practices: Choosing between IAS and US GAAP

This study examines reporting practices of a sample of foreign listed and domestic‐only listed companies from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Australia to determine the extent to which companies voluntarily use “international” standards. Two types of use of non‐national standards in the consolidated accounts presented to the public are considered: adoption of “international” standards instead of national standards, and supplementary use where “international” standards are used in conjunction with national standards. “International” standards are defined as US GAAP or IAS (now IFRS). The study tests for a preference for either set of standards and considers the relationship of choice of regime with firm attributes. The results show significant voluntary use of “international” standards in all five countries and among foreign listed and domestic‐only listed companies. Companies using “international” standards are likely to be larger, have more foreign revenue and to be listed on one or more foreign stock exchanges. US GAAP is the predominant choice, but IAS are used by many firms in Germany and some in Japan. Firms listed in the United States' regulated markets (NYSE and NASDAQ) are more likely to choose US GAAP, but companies traded in the OTC market often select IAS. The study demonstrates for managers and regulators that there is considerable support for “international” standards, and that choice of IAS or US GAAP relates to specific firm characteristics which differ according to a firm's country of origin. Most use of “international” standards reflects individual countries' institutional frameworks, confirming the key role of national regulators and standard setters in assisting companies to achieve more comparable international reporting.     

The Association of Board Independence and Ownership Concentration with Voluntary Disclosure: A Meta-analysis

In this paper we apply meta-analysis to a sample of 27 empirical studies to clarify the association of board independence and ownership concentration with voluntary disclosure. We examine whether variations in results are attributable to the differences in the corporate governance system, the investor protection rights and the measurement of the governance variables. The findings show that the positive association between board independence and voluntary disclosure only occurs in those countries with high investor protection rights. The findings emphasize the need to consider the legal and institutional setting explicitly when analysing the effect of corporate governance on voluntary disclosure.     

The Association between Board Composition and Different Types of Voluntary Disclosure

Abstract

This study examines the association between board composition and voluntary disclosure in annual reports. In particular, it addresses the incentives within the agency theory framework for both inside and independent directors to disclosure additional information voluntarily. Further, it provides evidence on the relation between the overall total voluntary disclosure and the components of voluntary disclosure, such as forward looking, strategic, non-financial and historical financial disclosures and board composition. Our sample is based on 181 Australian companies. We have developed and hand-collected 67 items from annual reports to develop the total voluntary disclosure index and the sub-indices of voluntary disclosure. Using two-stage multivariate analyses, our results provide some important insights. First, we find that there is a positive association between board composition and the voluntary disclosure of information in annual reports. Second, we also find that independent boards provide more voluntary disclosure of forward looking information and strategic information. However, board structure has no bearing on the voluntary disclosure of non-financial and historical financial information. Our findings are enhanced by different empirical specifications and sensitivity tests.     

上市公司自愿性披露信息问题研究

自愿性披露信息是对强制性披露信息的补充和深化,其对提高公司信息披露质量,揭示公司价值具有重要作用。本文试图为上市公司自愿性披露信息行为动因给出理论解释,并在分析我国自愿性披露信息的现状和产生原因的基础上,提出强化自愿性披露信息的建议,以期为上市公司自愿性披露信息研究提供参考。     

公平和效率为导向的内部控制信息披露方式的转变

自《萨班斯--奥克斯利法案》颁布以来,美国上市公司内部控制信息披露方式由自愿性披露转变为强制性披露。而在2008年我国五部委联合发布的《企业内部控制基本规范》标志着我国上市公司内部控制信息也开始向强制性披露方式转变。论文试图用经济学的公平与效率理论分析内部控制信息由自愿性披露方式转变为强制性披露方式背后的原因,经过分析发现披露方式的转变是促进资本市场效率向保障资本市场公平的转变。     

Director Ownership and Voluntary Segment Disclosure: Hong Kong Evidence

Weakness of corporate governance and lack of transparency are often considered causes of or contributors to the Asian Financial Crisis. Publicly listed companies in Hong Kong, like other Asian firms, have concentrated director ownership. The study uses voluntary segment disclosure above the benchmark minimum as a proxy for transparency and examines its relationship to the ownership structure and composition of corporate boards in Hong Kong. We find that: (1) high (concentrated) board ownership explains the extent of low voluntary segment disclosure and this negative relationship is stronger when firm performance is very poor; (2) the contribution of non‐executive directors to enhance voluntary segment disclosure is effective for firms with low director ownership but not for concentrated‐ownership firms. These results have implications for policy makers and regulators in the Asia‐Pacific region striving to improve governance and transparency.     

上市公司强制与自愿信息披露的协调利用

目前在我国的证券市场中存在着一定程度的诚信危机,投资者对上市公司信息披露的质量不是很满意,证券市场的发展已经引起了市场参与者的普遍关注,而我国对信息披露的探索主要局限于强制披露,较少涉及自愿披露的内容,因此我国应当吸取国外发达资本市场国家的经验将强制披露和自愿披露看做是互补而非替代的关系,以满足信息使用者的需求。     

Voluntary Disclosure in the Annual Reports of New Zealand Companies

New Zealand is currently experiencing a liberal and competitive economic environment which has led to a greater investment interest in corporate securities. Likewise, New Zealand firms are also developing strategies to attract investors, for example, through voluntary disclosure of information. Therefore, the level of information voluntarily disclosed by New Zealand companies is of interest to prospective investors. The purpose of this study is to examine empirically the relationship between five firm-specific characteristics and the general level of accounting information voluntarily disclosed by companies listed on New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZSE). In this study the a priori expectations are based on agency theory. The five firm-specific characteristics examined are: firm size, leverage, assets-in-place, type of auditor, and foreign listing status. The results obtained from cross-sectional regression show that firm size, foreign listing status and leverage are significantly related to the extent of voluntary disclosure. In contrast assets-in-place and type of auditor are not significant explanatory variables. A study of this type would be of particular relevance to accounting policy makers because, inter alia, it helps them in (a) understanding corporate disclosure behaviour, (b) explaining why firms adopt certain disclosure strategies, and (c) developing a coherent and acceptable set of mandatory disclosure requirements.     

公司特征与碳信息自愿性披露——基于合法性理论的分析视角

在自愿性信息披露的研究框架下,结合合法性理论,选取深沪A股上市公司为研究样本,通过对其2011年年报进行内容分析,构建了公司碳信息自愿性披露指数,对我国上市公司的公司特征与碳信息自愿性披露的关系进行了实证分析。实证检验发现:(1)公司规模、财务风险、固定资产比例均与碳信息自愿性披露显著正相关;(2)销售增长率与碳信息自愿性披露显著负相关;(3)上市年限与碳信息自愿性披露显著负相关。研究表明,上市公司将碳信息自愿性披露作为维护和提升自身合法性地位的一种管理方式。合法性压力越大的公司,越愿意提供自愿性碳信息披露;合法性压力越小的公司,越不积极主动提供自愿性碳信息披露。     

上市公司自愿性披露信息若干问题研究

随着我国资本市场的发展,上市公司自愿性披露信息将呈增长趋势,加强自愿性披露信息的研究,有利于推动和引导我国上市公司自愿性披露信息工作的开展。本文对自愿性披露信息进行了价值分析,总结了影响上市公司自愿性披露信息的主要因素,并提出提高上市公司自愿性披露信息质量政策的若干建议。     

上市公司自愿性信息披露行为动因的经济学分析

本文运用交易成本理论、有效市场理论、投资行为理论、比较优势理论、信号传递模型、声誉机制模型、“深口袋”理论、代理契约理论等为上市公司自愿性信息披露行为动因构建了一个理论解释框架,同时在管理当局与投资者之间进行了博弈分析,并得出结论:应大力倡导上市公司自愿性信息披露,构建以适度的强制性信息披露为主,自愿性信息披露作为重要补充的信息披露机制才是治理上市公司虚假信息披露的根本之策。     

Determinants and Consequences of a Voluntary Turn Away from IFRS to Local GAAP: Evidence from Switzerland

Abstract

We examine determinants and consequences of a turn away from International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) to local generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), thereby exploiting a unique feature of the Swiss setting in which listed firms are allowed to switch from IFRS to Swiss GAAP, all else being equal. We posit that net benefits of IFRS are less for small firms with higher insider ownership. In addition, we predict that the net benefits of IFRS are not constant over time because of changes in IFRS and/or changes in firm-specific circumstances. To the extent that the switching firms’ costs of IFRS reporting outweigh its benefits, we do not predict adverse capital-market effects after a switch. Consistent with predictions, we find that (a) small firms with higher insider ownership and fewer foreign investor holdings are more likely to switch, (b) increasing reporting costs as well as changes in firm-specific circumstances affect switching propensity, (c) switching firms substantially reduce their disclosures after they switch, and (d) switching firms neither experience a decrease in liquidity nor negative announcement returns. Overall, our findings are important for standard setters and securities regulators in shaping (future) reporting requirements for listed firms.     

Determinants of Voluntary Disclosure of Sales in Small Private Companies in Belgium

Small businesses are the backbone of the economy in many countries. In Europe, for example, small companies represent more than 90 per cent of all companies (e.g., Lukacs, 2005 ). Although these companies represent such an important portion of the economy, few studies have examined their voluntary disclosure decisions. Because small companies have certain unique characteristics compared with their larger counterparts, the general applicability of past voluntary disclosure studies to small companies is questionable. Drawing on agency and proprietary cost theory, this study investigates whether ownership, competition, and accountant factors influence the decision to disclose financially sensitive information on a voluntary basis. Our results (using an e‐mail questionnaire to small private companies in Belgium, n = 1,068) indicate that nearly 40 per cent of the responding companies are not aware of their disclosure behavior. For companies that are aware of their disclosure behavior, the logistic regression analysis demonstrates that factors relating to the separation of ownership and control, namely the type of ownership and number of shareholders, are among the most important determinants in the voluntary disclosure decision of small private companies. Companies with at least one legal entity as an owner of a company are less likely to disclose, while companies with more shareholders are more likely to disclose. We also provide evidence that perceived competition and the default setting of the accounting software used have a significant influence on the voluntary disclosure behavior.     

Litigation Risk and Corporate Voluntary Disclosure: Evidence from Two Quasi-Natural Experiments

Abstract

We examine the effect of litigation risk on corporate voluntary disclosure using two quasi-natural experiments, which have substantial and opposing impacts on the litigation risk of firms headquartered in the Ninth Circuit. We find that firms in the Ninth Circuit decrease (increase) the quantity and quality of their voluntary disclosure, relative to control firms, when their litigation risk is lowered (elevated). The pre-treatment test shows an indistinguishable trend between treatment and control firms. A battery of robustness checks indicates that our results are not driven by alternative explanations. We hypothesize and find that the impact of litigation risk is more pronounced when firms have bad news and that firms are more likely to preempt bad news through voluntary disclosures when litigation risk is elevated. Overall, results from both experiments suggest that litigation risk causally increases corporate voluntary disclosure.