The quality of Neuer Markt quarterly reports—an empirical investigation

When compared with its prior performance, the year 2001 is not one of the best years for the Neuer Markt. The Neuer Markt's reputation has been marred by the practice of several companies on the exchange that have published misleading information in the form of incomplete annual and quarterly data. In this study, we examine the quality of Neuer Markt quarterly reports by concentrating on the disclosure level of 47 Neuer Markt companies' reports for the third quarter of 1999, 2000, and 2001. To enable making comparisons, we have established four disclosure indexes that measure each report's compliance with the Neuer Markt Rules and Regulations (NM Rules and Regulations) as well as with International Accounting Standards (IAS) and U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) interim reporting standards. We then attempt to find typical attributes of Neuer Markt enterprises that provide high or low level of disclosure accounting information in their quarterly reports. The results demonstrate that the level of disclosure has increased over time, partly in response to additional enforcement. In this regard, the quarterly reports standardization project of Deutsche Boerse is an important landmark in satisfying investors' information needs.     

Accounting classification and the international harmonisation debate: a reply to a comment

In this issue of this journal, Christopher Nobes comments on my classification of accounting systems [Accounting Organizations and Society (2001) 26, 327]. He concludes that the classification is unsound because the nature of the data made them unsuitable and they contained errors. I took as a source for my selection process a database that reflects the decisions of the EU directives and the Transnational Accounting (TRANSACC) editors to describe important recognition and valuation rules. This process was made explicit and followed reasonable principles. According to the accuracy issues raised, some discrepancies could be explained by different interpretations. Additionally, the conclusion is still valid as the results are shown to be robust to variations of weightings and methods hence also to unsystematic failures.     

媒体关注、制度环境与盈余信息市场反应——对市场压力假设的再检验

针对于忠泊等人(2011)提出的媒体关注市场压力假设,文章从盈余信息市场反应的角度,进一步解释了市场压力的来源以及对管理者行为的影响。文章发现,媒体关注增加了短期内盈余信息的市场反应;降低了长期内的盈余公告后漂移程度;而且媒体关注的这种效应在外部市场化环境较差的地区更加显著。媒体关注对短期内盈余信息市场反应的放大效应,对长期内盈余信息传递效率的提升作用,正是管理者所面临的市场压力之一,媒体关注通过影响资本市场而发挥外部公司治理的功能。     

Identification and the narrative approach: A reply to Leeper

Contrary to the arguments of Leeper (1997), the problems that arise in VAR investigations of monetary policy do not arise with our use of the narrative approach. The apparent high predictability of our monetary-policy variable that Leeper finds is due to overfitting. And the estimated effects of our measure when variables other than output are considered are unsurprising given Leeper's specifications.     

Analysts versus time-series forecasts of quarterly earnings: A maintained hypothesis revisited

We re-examine the maintained hypothesis of analysts' quarterly earnings per share (EPS) superiority versus ARIMA time-series forecasts. While our empirical results are consistent with overall analysts' dominance, they suggest a more contextual interpretation of this important relationship. Specifically, we find that for a relatively large number of cases (approximately 40%) ARIMA time-series forecasts of quarterly EPS are equal to or more accurate than consensus analysts' forecasts. Moreover, the percentage of time-series superiority increases: (1) for longer forecast horizons, (2) as firm size decreases, and (3) for high-technology firms. Due to the data demands that ARIMA forecasting requires we also examine using a seasonal random walk (SRW) model that requires only one year of data to create quarterly forecasts. Although the ARIMA time-series model results in a significant reduction in sample size it dominates the SRW model. Our findings support the analyst dominance over time series models but suggest that ARIMA time-series models may provide useful input to researchers seeking quarterly EPS expectation models for certain types of firms.     

Anticipation of quarterly earnings announcements: A test of option market efficiency

This study tests Chicago Board Options Exchange efficiency by examining option price behavior in the weeks surrounding a firm's quarterly earnings announcement. The evidence presented here suggests that a first-order autoregressive seasonal process describes quarterly earnings behavior and demonstrates that the information content of an earnings announcement is fully incorporated in option prices by the end of the announcement week.     

Accounting elites and accounting theory: A reply to Paul Montagna

In response to Paul Montagna's review, the author draws attention to a central claim of Accounting Regulation and Elite Structures: that despite vigorous efforts it is not possible to identify separate schools of accounting thought in Sweden. Instead, what one finds are common bases of reasoning in appeals to “practice”. Consumer-oriented and producer-oriented appeals are identified. It is argued that empirical research is not governed by a Grand Theory. Norms of accounting practice are argued to develop out of the interplay between individuals arguing from points of view they consider to be right. In communicative interaction between individuals representing diverse interests, there is a high likelihood that communication will be distorted. In such situations appeals to the “practicality” of a proposed solution are likely to be successfully made.