VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL SEGMENT DATA: NEW ZEALAND EVIDENCE

This paper reports on the voluntary financial disclosure of segment data by New Zealand companies and relates the extent of quantified segment disclosure to firm-specific characteristics. The extent of voluntary segment disclosure varies across a sample of 29 firms listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. The extent of quantified segment disclosure is significantly related to firm size, financial leverage, but not to assets in place, earnings volatility or a the importance of foreign funding to the firm.