The association of identifiable intangible assets acquired and recognised in business acquisitions with postacquisition firm performance

This paper extends the literature evaluating accounting practices for identifiable intangible assets and considers whether the application of these accounting practices changed on transition to IFRS. It finds no evidence of identifiable intangible assets acquired and recognised in business acquisitions being associated with postacquisition firm performance or changes in postacquisition firm performance, either before or after transition to IFRS. This is inconsistent with the requirements of regulations such as IFRS 3 Business Combinations and IAS 38 Intangible Assets, and there is no empirical evidence supporting the present regulatory distinction between acquired and internally generated and revalued identifiable intangible assets.     

Financial instruments in non-financial firms: what do we know?

Accounting for financial instruments is one of the most controversial standard setting issues. Attempts by standard setters to expand the scope of fair value measurement provoked fierce opposition from preparers, in particular from the financial industry but also, albeit less frequently and less scathingly, from non-financial firms. Academic research could help to bring the discussion onto a more objective level. Most of the existing research focuses on the financial industry and uses US disclosure data from the 1990s. More recent papers use recognition and measurement data from IFRS financial statements, again primarily from the financial industry. This paper provides novel evidence on the relevance of financial instruments for non-financial firms of the STOXX Europe 600 Index. The results in particular refute the myths that fair value measurement of financial instruments is pervasive and that many fair value measurements are of the problematic ‘level 3’ quality. The empirical evidence forms the background for a survey of the small body of existing research on the effects of accounting standards relating to financial instruments on non-financial firms. This survey covers research on the effects on risk management, on the volatility of cash flows and earnings, on earnings management and on the effects on user decisions. Both in the empirical sections and in the survey sections, I identify a number of areas for further research to overcome the poor current state of knowledge.     

公允价值与金融危机新论

2008年全球金融危机暴露出公允价值计量的缺陷与不足,会计准则制定机构迫于压力对公允价值应对金融危机作出修订与完善。文章在分析公允价值的涵义与特性的基础上,厘清公允价值与全球金融危机之间的关系,提出改进公允价值的建议。     

The relationship between competition and business segment reporting decisions under the management approach of IAS 14 Revised

This research addresses the relationship between industry competition and managers’ choice regarding whether to separately disclose a business segment following the adoption of International Accounting Standard 14 Revised (IAS 14R) and the management approach to segment determination. Logistic regression reveals a significant negative relationship between disclosure and company returns in excess of the industry average.Prior research indicated a significant relationship between disclosure and abnormal returns under the industry approach to segmentation. Our results provide evidence that this flexibility persists as managers maintain their ability to aggregate segments to protect excess returns under IAS 14R and the management approach. Our findings are timely as the IASB plans to modify its segment reporting requirements as part of the Board's convergence agenda and as thousands of companies worldwide, effective from 2005 onward, are now preparing financial statements using IFRS.     

关于新准则借款费用会计处理问题的探讨

我国最新发布的《企业会计准则》中对借款费用的会计处理进行了重新规范,新准则关于借款费用会计处理的规定将对企业的财务信息披露带来很大影响,本文将通过对比新会计准则和国际会计准则的相关规定来探讨有关借款费用会计处理的一系列问题,并将针对新准则在实施过程中可能遇到的问题提出相应的应对措施.     

浅谈我国投资性房地产准则与IAS40的异同

本文对我国投资性房地产会计准则与IAS40的异同点进行了比较分析,并在此基础上阐述了投资性房地产准则实施的影响.我国投资性房地产准则与IAS40相比,在规范范围、投资性房产确认、计量、转换和披露诸方面都实现了"大同",但也存有一些具有中国特色的"小异";"大同"是我国实现会计国际趋同的客观要求,"小异"则是我国当前会计环境和会计改革进程的必然.     

The adoption of international accounting standards by small and closely held companies: evidence from Bahrain

This study examines the accounting practices and the degree of adoption of international accounting standards (IASs) by small and closely held companies in Bahrain. It finds that 86% (31) of the 36 companies responding to the questionnaire applied IASs and they considered IASs to be very relevant for them. All firms prepare balance sheets, and the majority prepares income statements and cash flow statements. They also duly audit these statements. The data collected also revealed that the quotient influence on whether or not a firm adopted IAS was exerted by their external auditors. External auditors exerted the greatest influence on getting firms to adopt IASs. Banks and company partners were the primary users of company financial statements; inventories, depreciation, disclosure on financial statements, and the presentation of current assets and liabilities. The main IASs followed by a majority of firms are those pertaining so. Some of the standards were considered totally irrelevant, contrary to the prevailing idea that adoption of IASs creates an information overload for small and closely held companies. The results of this study indicate that a majority of our respondents did not find that it was costly to adopt or interpret IASs. Those few firms that experienced some difficulties sought clarification from their external auditors. About 84% of those who adopted IASs strongly agreed that using IASs improves their organization's ability to financial assistance from the banking sector. Also, about 90% of the respondents fully agreed that IASs help to achieve the objectives and improve the effectiveness of financial reporting.     

《企业会计准则第4-R——固定资产》对反倾销应诉的意义研究

自加入世贸组织以来,我国一直是其成员国中遭受反倾销调查最严重的国家之一,而被指倾销的常见借口是:中国涉案出口产品的成本核算不符合国际会计惯例.国家财政部适时发布了新的<企业会计准则第4号--固定资产>,从2007年起率先在上市公司实行.本文仅讨论成本因素中的固定资产折旧问题,通过比较国际会计准则的相关规定,分析了该准则在固定资产确认、后续支出的核算、借款费用资本化核算、弃置费用的处理和固定资产信息披露等方面所作的改进对反倾销应诉的积极意义.     

Economic Benefits of Adopting IFRS or US‐GAAP – Have the Expected Cost of Equity Capital Really Decreased?

Abstract:   The question of whether the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) results in measurable economic benefits is of special interest, particularly in light of the European Union's adoption of IFRS for listed companies. In this paper, I investigate the common conjecture that internationally recognised financial reporting standards (IAS/IFRS or US‐GAAP) reduce the cost of capital for adopting firms. Building on Leuz and Verrecchia (2000) , I use a set of German firms that have adopted such standards and investigate the potential economic benefits of this reporting strategy by analysing their cost of equity capital through the use and customisation of available implied estimation methods. Evidence from the 1993–2002 period fails to document lower expected cost of equity capital for firms applying IAS/IFRS or US‐GAAP. During the transition period I analyse, the expected cost of equity capital in fact appear to have rather increased under non‐local accounting standards.