The value relevance and reliability of reported goodwill and identifiable intangible assets

We examine the value relevance and reliability of reported goodwill and identifiable intangible assets under Australian GAAP from 1994 to 2003; a period characterised by relatively restrictive accounting treatment for goodwill and relatively flexible accounting treatment for identifiable intangible assets. Our findings, using an adaptation of Feltham and Ohlson (1995), suggest that for the average Australian company the information presented with respect to both goodwill and identifiable intangible assets is value relevant but not reliable. In particular, goodwill tends to be reported conservatively while identifiable intangible assets are reported aggressively.     

A MICRO-ECONOMIC APPROACH TO THE ANALYSIS OF SUPPLY RESPONSE IN BRITISH AGRICULTURE

Most of the work undertaken on the estimation of supply response in U. K. agriculture has been based on the analysis of time-series data. However, there are a number of problems associated with an analysis of aggregate supply response for British agriculture based on time-series analysis alone. This paper reports on an alternative supply response model being developed at Newcastle in which estimates of aggregate supply levels are built up from optimal programmes for a set of representative farms.     

Natural Monopoly and Yardstick Competition

There is a renaissance of interest in yardstick competition as an aid to regulators. It can work well when the only source of inter-firm cost differences is efficiency. However, when cost differences arise from other factors, yardstick competition must rely on statistical analyses which have so far not been very successful in determining the effect on distribution cost of the cost environment, scale and service quality.