Stock Market Valuation, Profitability and R&D Spending of the Firm: The Effect of Technology Mergers and Acquisitions

Abstract:  In this paper, we investigate whether a firm can enhance the effect of its R&D spending on its current market value and future profitability through technology-oriented M&As. On the basis of an analysis of 1,879 M&As, we find that when a technology firm acquires another technology firm, the magnitude of the stock price response to the R&D spending of an acquirer increases by 107% in the year of the M&A. In contrast, we find no such increase in the stock price response to the R&D spending of a non-technology acquirer. We also find that technology acquirers are more successful in converting their R&D spending into positive future profitability than non-technology acquirers. Our results are robust for different alternative specifications of our model and when various firm differences are controlled for.     

Market Valuation of Successful versus Non‐successful R&D Efforts in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Abstract:   This paper examines the relationship between a non‐financial measure of successful research and development (R&D) efforts in the pharmaceutical industry and R&D expenditures. I hypothesize that the R&D of successful producers will be valued more by the market than the R&D of non‐successful producers. The regression results support the hypothesis. In the primary model, R&D is not associated with price; however, the coefficient on the interaction between R&D and successful developers is positively related to stock price. This implies that the market values the R&D expenditures of successful developers but not the expenditures of less‐successful developers.     

Development of accounting in Poland: Market efficiency and the value relevance of reported earnings

This paper outlines the evolution of the information environment surrounding the Warsaw Stock Exchange in Poland. Like other transition economies, Poland needed to develop accounting regulations to support privatization. We trace changes in financial reporting regulation from 1994, through the adoption of IFRS and corporate governance codes, to the crisis of 2007-2008. The effect of these developments is then evaluated empirically by testing the relevance of earnings of listed corporations from 1997 to 2008 to corporate value. We show that the stock exchange was weak-form efficient during this period and estimate regressions for value relevance of earnings to corporate value. We find positive evidence of such relevance but no improvement in the strength of the relationship over time.     

The Determinants and Value Relevance of the Choice of Accounting for Research and Development Expenditures in the United Kingdom

Abstract:  This paper investigates the determinants and value relevance implications of the accounting method choice for development expenditures for firms with research and development (R&D) programs in the United Kingdom (UK). Using a sample of 3,229 UK firm-year observations over the period 1996–2004, I find that the decision to expense versus capitalize development expenditures is influenced by earnings variability, earnings sign, firm size, R&D intensity, leverage, steady-state status of the firm's R&D program, and R&D program success. Additional results indicate that there is little difference in value relevance between reported and adjusted numbers for both the Expensers and the Capitalizers. The evidence in this paper suggests that managers choose the 'correct' method for accounting for R&D in order to best communicate the private information which they hold.     

Value Relevance of Comprehensive Income for the Canadian Market*

The value relevance of comprehensive income (CI) compared to net income (NI) remains unresolved. We look at this issue in the Canadian market, using association methods to determine the value relevance of reporting CI and other comprehensive income (OCI) components for stock prices and returns. The sample consists of all the firms in the S&P/TSX Composite Index that prepared their financial statements according to Canadian standards or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) over the 2008–2016 period. Although we find no evidence that CI is more value relevant than NI for stock prices and returns, we note that some OCI components are incrementally value relevant beyond NI for both amounts. In addition, financial services firms differ from other companies in terms of the relationships between some of their OCI components and prices or returns, with such firms even driving some relationships. Relationships between OCI components and prices or returns are also affected when data from the financial crisis period are excluded, with some relationships even changing after IFRS adoption. These results inform Canadian standard setters and financial statement users that OCI components are decision useful for the Canadian market.     

The Determinants of Investor Valuation of R&D Expenditure in the Software Industry

This paper examines the cross-sectional variability in the market valuation of R&D expenditures in the pre-packaged computer software industry. Consistent with some prior research, this paper argues that R&D spending is valued heterogeneously by the stock market, and derives hypotheses regarding the determinants of the cross-sectional heterogeneity in the market valuation of R&D. The empirical tests use an extensive database containing product level information of software firms between 1994 and 1998, along with accounting and stock price data of the same period. The test results, consistent with our hypotheses, show that R&D spending is more valuable for firms with larger market shares, higher percentage of technical employees, and those that have diversified into different product categories. The results also indicate that market valuation of R&D spending is a function of product life cycle.     

Accounting‐Based Probabilistic Prediction of ROE,the Residual Income Valuation Model and the Assessment of Mispricing in the Swedish Stock Market

Using Swedish stock market data, this study investigates whether an investment strategy based on publicly available accounting information can generate abnormal investment returns. The strategy involves two steps. First, an accounting‐based probabilistic prediction model of changes in the medium‐term book return on owners' equity (ROE) is estimated. Second, market expectations of changes in medium‐term ROE are assessed through observed stock prices and the residual income valuation model. Stock market positions over 36‐month holding periods are taken when the accounting‐based predictions of ROE and the market expectations differ. Over the period 1983–2003, the investment strategy generated values of Jensen's alpha corresponding to an average monthly excess return for a hedge position of up to 0.8% for a sample of manufacturing companies. In the main this hedge return was caused by strong positive returns to the long positions, and additional analyses show that the returns appear to have been affected by a positive market sentiment bias (i.e., positive ROE surprises being associated with stronger price reactions than negative ROE surprises) making out‐of‐sample inferences somewhat dubious. Furthermore, most of the investment returns accrued over holding periods up to around 1995, with no indications of market mispricing over the last third (1995–2003) of the investment period. The empirical results are consistent with market investors having become more sophisticated in their use of publicly available accounting information over time.     

Mispricing of Research and Development Investments in a Rapidly Emerging and Electronics-Dominated Market

This paper documents prevailing mispricing of research and development (R&D) investments in the Taiwan stock market, a rapidly emerging and electronics-dominated market. Applying stock return data from July 1988 to June 2005, we observe that R&D-intensive stocks tend to outperform stocks with little or no R&D. The R&D-intensity effect cannot be attributed fully to firm size and seasonal effects. The R&D-associated anomaly not only exists but also persists for up to three years. The market apparently undervalues R&D-intensive firms and overvalues non-R&D-intensive firms. Finally, the R&D anomaly is clearer for firms in the electronics industry after 1996.     

Consistency,Value Relevance and Sufficiency of Book for Market Values in Five Japanese Conglomerates Over the Period 1950–2004

Market and accounting data for five Japanese conglomerates, Toyota, Fuji, Sony, Itochu and Sumitomo, are analysed over the period 1950 to 2004. Annual market value is regressed on three accounting and six macroeconomic variables, using a general‐to‐specific approach to construct simple error correction models for each of the five firms. The results show that in four of the five firms there is evidence of a long‐run relationship between market value and the net book value of assets, which can be interpreted, with increasing degrees of strength, as book values being either consistent with, value relevant for, or sufficient for market value.     

The Stock Market Valuation of Research and Development Expenditures

We examine whether stock prices fully value firms' intangible assets, specifically research and development (R&D). Under current U.S. accounting standards, financial statements do not report intangible assets and R&D spending is expensed. Nonetheless, the average historical stock returns of firms doing R&D matches the returns of firms without R&D. However, the market is apparently too pessimistic about beaten-down R&D-intensive technology stocks' prospects. Companies with high R&D to equity market value (which tend to have poor past returns) earn large excess returns. A similar relation exists between advertising and stock returns. R&D intensity is positively associated with return volatility.     

Audit Quality and the Market Valuation of Banks’ Allowance for Loan Losses*

The recent banking crisis has led market participants to focus on the adequacy and quality of banks’ balance sheet items such as the allowance for loan losses. Beaver and Engel (1996) document that the capital market prices the nondiscretionary component of loan loss allowance negatively and the discretionary component less negatively. Using data from the pre‐crisis period and three measures of audit quality, auditor type (i.e., Big 5 versus non–Big 5), auditor industry specialization/expertise, and audit and nonaudit fees paid to auditors, we examine the effect of audit quality on the market valuation of the discretionary component of the allowance for loan losses. We find that, relative to the nondiscretionary component, the market valuation of the discretionary component of loan loss allowance is higher for banks audited by Big 5 auditors than for banks audited by non–Big 5 auditors. We also find that the relative market valuation of the discretionary component of loan loss allowance is increasing in auditor expertise. Regarding the impact of fees paid to auditors, we find that banks paying higher audit fees have higher relative market valuation of the discretionary component of the allowance for loan losses, but banks that pay higher nonaudit fees do not.     

深化增值税改革的市场反应及影响因素

运用事件研究法和多元回归法考察 “深化增值税改革”（2018年3月28日国务院常务会议）的市场反应及其影响因素。结果表明：尽管中美“贸易战”对股市产生了较大的负面影响,但投资者仍将“深化增值税改革”视为利好消息,且试点行业的市场反应都显著为正。从市场反应影响因素来看,研发支出越多、融资约束越强的公司市场反应更好。此外,进一步细分公司特征发现,高税收敏感度和高产品市场竞争程度的公司市场反应更加积极,存在超额雇佣且研发支出较高以及不存在超额雇佣但融资约束较高的公司市场反应也更加积极。     

The valuation implications of human capital in transactions on and outside the exchange

We examine the valuation implications of human capital both for a broad sample of firms and for subsamples of high-technology firms and low-technology firms. Our results suggest that the market appears to value compensation expenses not as expenses but as if they serve as a proxy for a human asset that is omitted from the balance sheets. The findings are consistent with human capital comprising a more sizable portion of the value of high-technology firms than of low-technology firms. The findings also indicate that compensation expenses are valued differently from other expense components of income. Markedly, despite critical differences between investors on the exchange and those buying shares in transactions outside the exchange (controlling interests, information asymmetry, etc.), their assessment of the enhanced value of a firm attributable to human capital is shown to be relatively similar. The results in this study are consistent with compensation expenses creating a valuable intangible asset, hence suggesting that reform in the accounting treatment of these expenses is of critical importance.     

越南资本市场发展探析

过去十年间,在越南经济改革开放的推动下,越南建立了以银行信贷市场为主、股票市场和债券市场为辅的越南资本市场。本文将对越南资本市场发展情况进行研究、分析其未来政策走向等。     

The valuation of R&D expenditures in Japan

The difficulty to measure the long‐term benefits of R&D expenditures and the distortions induced by R&D accounting suggest that R&D‐intensive firms could be undervalued. Using several methods commonly applied to detect the abnormal returns associated with mispricing, we find little evidence that the value of R&D investments has been underestimated in the Japanese stock market. Given that R&D accounting rules in Japan are similar to those in United States, the results appear to reject the hypothesis that accounting biases are the cause of the undervaluation of R&D investments observed in the United States.     

放松卖空管制与公司现金价值——基于中国资本市场的准自然实验

中国资本市场于2010年3月31日正式放开卖空管制,投资者可以对特定的股票进行卖空。放松卖空管制后,大股东如果继续侵占公司利益,投资者可通过卖空公司股票对大股东进行制衡。当卖空导致的股价下跌损失大于大股东侵占现金的收益时,现金资产被侵占的可能性降低,现金价值会有所提升。本文采用2007-2014年的中国上市公司为样本,借助放松卖空管制这一外生事件检验了这一问题,研究发现,放松卖空管制提高了公司的现金价值,并且这一影响主要体现在第一大股东持股比例较高的民营企业样本。     

Market valuation of greenhouse gas emissions under a mandatory reporting regime: Evidence from the UK

This study provides evidence on the potential benefits of mandatory environmental reporting for listed firms’ market valuation. It takes advantage of recent regulation that requires all listed firms in the UK to report their annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in their annual reports and shows that the magnitude of the negative association between GHG emissions and the market value of listed firms decreased after the introduction of the reporting regulation. This decline is attributed to regulation forestalling shareholders’ negative reflexive reaction toward firms’ carbon disclosures, as proposed by the theoretical work of Unerman and O’Dwyer (2007).     

业绩对赌协议对并购溢价和市场反应的影响

在推进并购市场契约创新背景下,研究业绩对赌协议有重要的理论和实践意义。本文构建了并购双方在信息不对称市场上的理论效用模型,并以2006—2020年收购方为上市公司的资产收购为样本,得到以下结论：第一,业绩对赌协议中对未来承诺期限规定越严格,溢价规模越大,且业绩对赌相对规模与溢价呈倒U形关系;第二,通过在模型中引入股价异常回报情况,发现业绩对赌协议和市场反应之间为正向关系,在此基础上验证了并购溢价在两者关系中的中间遮掩效用和门槛效用;第三,进一步研究发现,并购溢价会对合约细节与对赌结果、市场反应与对赌结果之间的关系产生影响。本文研究有助于企业避免由过度保护、代理问题和信息不对称造成的估值溢价偏差,进而合理利用并购溢价和协议细节调动市场投资者的积极情绪与信心。     

我国货币市场基金发展问题探讨

货币市场基金是一种低风险、高流动性的基金,近年来在我国发展迅速。本文论述了我国货币市场基金的发展状况,以及制约我国货币市场基金发展的基本因素,并在总结国际经验的基础上提出了选择合适的发展路径、发展新的市场工具、鼓励更多的金融主体参与、改革内部运行机制、提高市场运作效率、创造良好的市场和法制环境等发展我国货币市场基金的对策建议。     

The effect of management incentives and cross-listing status on the accounting treatment of R&D spending

This paper investigates the effect of management incentives and cross-listing status on the accounting treatment of research and development (R&D) spending for a sample of Canadian hi-tech and biopharmaceutical firms. U.S. GAAP adopts an immediate expensing rule for all R&D spending except for software development costs for which technological feasibility has been established. Contrary to the U.S., Canadian and international standard setters recommend capitalization if development costs meet certain criteria. Because those criteria are largely based on management judgment, capitalization of R&D spending is an accounting choice that can be used for income manipulation or signaling.Using a logit model, we examine how the decision to capitalize R&D spending is influenced by the cross-listing status and several other key firm characteristics that are well documented in the accounting literature. We find that the probability of capitalizing R&D spending increases for cross-listed and non-cross-listed firms in the software industry. The probability of capitalizing R&D spending also increases for firms that are more leveraged, more mature, and have higher level of cash flows from operations. However, the probability of capitalizing R&D spending decreases for larger corporations, firms with more concentrated ownership and highly profitable firms. Overall our results indicate a preference for Canadian firms in the software industry to emulate U.S. accounting practices for R&D spending. They also suggest that firms use the decision to capitalize or expense R&D spending as an earning management tool to either meet debt covenants or to smooth income.