...Journal of Accounting and Economics 50 (2010) 344–401 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Accounting and Economics journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jae Understanding earnings quality: A review of the proxies, their determinants and their consequences$ Patricia Dechow a, Weili Ge b, Catherine Schrand c,n a b c University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States a r t i c l e i n f o abstract Available online 4 November 2010 Researchers have used various measures as indications of ‘‘earnings quality’’ including persistence, accruals, smoothness, timeliness, loss avoidance, investor responsiveness, and external indicators such as restatements and SEC enforcement releases. For each measure, we discuss causes of variation in the measure as well as consequences. We reach no single conclusion on what earnings quality is because ‘‘quality’’ is contingent on the decision context. We also point out that the ‘‘quality’’ of earnings is a function of the firm’s fundamental performance. The contribution of a firm’s fundamental performance to its earnings quality is suggested as one area for future work. & 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. JEL classification: G31 M40 M41 Keywords: Earnings quality Earnings management Review Survey 1. Introduction Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts...
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...mbarth@stanford.edu. Wayne R. Landsman Kenan-Flagler Business School University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 wayne_landsman@unc.edu. May 2010 Forthcoming, European Accounting Review, 2010 We appreciate comments from seminar participants at the Bank of Spain, Rob Bloomfield, Elicia Cowins, Hilary Eastman, Gavin Francis, Christian Kusi-Yeboah, Jim Leisenring, Martien Lubberink, Richard Rendleman, David Tweedie, and an anonymous reviewer. We acknowledge funding from the Center for Finance and Accounting Research at UNC-Chapel Hill and the Stanford Graduate School of Business Center for Global Business and the Economy. Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1601519 How did Financial Reporting Contribute to the Financial Crisis? Abstract We scrutinize the role financial reporting for fair values, asset securitizations, derivatives, and loan loss provisioning played in the Financial Crisis. Because banks were at the center of the Financial Crisis, we focus our discussion and analysis on the effects of financial reporting by banks. We conclude fair value accounting played little or no role in the Financial Crisis. However, transparency of information associated with asset securitizations and derivatives likely was insufficient for investors to assess properly the values and riskiness of bank assets and liabilities. Although the FASB and IASB have taken laudable steps to improve disclosures relating to asset...
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...form 17 May 2007; accepted 8 June 2007 Available online 19 July 2007 Abstract This paper examines the ex post and ex ante benefits of accounting conservatism to lenders and borrowers in the debt contracting process. I expect conservatism to benefit lenders ex post through the timely signaling of default risk, as manifested by accelerated covenant violations, and to benefit borrowers ex ante through lower initial interest rates. Consistent with these predictions, I find that more conservative borrowers are more likely to violate debt covenants following a negative price shock, and that lenders offer lower interest rates to more conservative borrowers. r 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. JEL classification: M41; G32 Keywords: Conservatism; Debt contracting; Covenant violation; Spread 1. Introduction While positive accounting theory suggests that accounting conservatism enhances efficiency in the debt contracting process (Watts and Zimmerman, 1986; Watts, 2003a, b), there is little empirical evidence on the debt contracting benefits of conservatism. In this paper, I provide evidence on the ex post and ex ante benefits of conservatism to lenders and borrowers. Specifically, I document that conservatism benefits lenders ex post through the timely signaling of default risk, as manifested by accelerated covenant violations, and benefits borrowers ex ante through lower interest rates. $ This paper is based on my dissertation at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I would like to...
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...agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub- licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions Downloaded...
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...This article was downloaded by: [Library Services City University London] On: 26 July 2013, At: 08:32 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Accounting and Business Research Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rabr20 International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS): pros and cons for investors Ray Ball a a University of Chicago Published online: 28 Feb 2012. To cite this article: Ray Ball (2006) International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS): pros and cons for investors, Accounting and Business Research, 36:sup1, 5-27, DOI: 10.1080/00014788.2006.9730040 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00014788.2006.9730040 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information...
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...International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS): Pros and Cons for Investors by Ray Ball* Sidney Davidson Professor of Accounting Graduate School of Business University of Chicago 5807 S. Woodlawn Ave Chicago, IL 60637 Tel. (773) 834 5941 ray.ball@gsb.uchicago.edu Acknowledgments This paper is based on the PD Leake Lecture delivered on 8 September 2005 at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which can be accessed at http://www.icaew.co.uk/cbp/index.cfm. It draws extensively on the framework in Ball (1995) and benefited from comments by Steve Zeff. Financial support from the PD Leake Trust and the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago is gratefully acknowledged. 1 Abstract Accounting in shaped by economic and political forces. It follows that increased worldwide integration of both markets and politics (driven by reductions in communications and information processing costs) makes increased integration of financial reporting standards and practice almost inevitable. But most market and political forces will remain local for the foreseeable future, so it is unclear how much convergence in actual financial reporting practice will (or should) occur. Furthermore, there is little settled theory or evidence on which to build an assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of uniform accounting rules within a country, let alone internationally. The pros and cons of IFRS therefore are somewhat conjectural, the unbridled enthusiasm...
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...The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia GAAP-based financial reporting: measurement of business performance charteredaccountants.com.au Professor Stephen Taylor, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (the Institute) is the professional body representing Chartered Accountants in Australia. Our reach extends to more than 53,000 of today and tomorrow’s business leaders, representing some 43,000 Chartered Accountants and 10,000 of Australia’s best accounting graduates who are currently enrolled in our world-class post-graduate program. Our members work in diverse roles across commerce and industry, academia, government, and public practice throughout Australia and in 107 countries around the world. We aim to lead the profession by delivering visionary thought leadership projects, setting the benchmark for the highest ethical, professional and educational standards and enhancing and promoting the Chartered Accountant brand. We also represent the interests of members to government, industry, academia and the general public by actively engaging our membership and local and international bodies on public policy, government legislation and regulatory issues. The Institute can leverage advantages for its members as a founding member of the Global Accounting Alliance (GAA), an international accounting coalition formed by the world’s premier accounting...
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...National Institute of Securities Markets Assessment of Long Term Performance of Credit Rating Agencies in India July 2009 5th Floor, Plot No.82, Sector 17, Vashi, Navi Mumbai 400 705 1 Contents Terms of Reference Executive Summary Acknowledgements CRAs: Relevance and Perspective Raters and Ratings: Evolution and the Current State of the Art Critical Evaluation of Ratings Rating Transition and Default Study Emerging Trends and Alternate Approaches Conclusions and Recommendations References Annexure Sample Questionnaire 3 4 14 15 21 32 43 58 63 74 78 2 Terms of Reference This Study has been commissioned by NISM as desired by the Committee on Comprehensive Regulation of CRA’s in India, to look into the legal and policy framework for regulating the activities of Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs), vide letter bearing Reference No. F.No.12/11/07-PM, dated 16.1.2009. The Terms of Reference are listed as under: 1. Assessment of the performance of CRAs in India in terms of parameters like default and transition data 2. How much information asymmetry is bridged by CRAs 3. How far CRAs assessment helps financial regulation 4. Accountability, corporate governance issues of CRAs 5. Disclosures of methodologies of rating 6. Rating of complex products like structured obligation 7. Uniformity or otherwise in definition and rating nomenclature of CRAs in India 8. Consistency of rating data with accounting data 9. Overall evaluation of what CRAs have done in terms of value...
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...security, computer security and information assurance are frequently used interchangeably. These fields are interrelated and share the common goals of protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information; however, there are some subtle differences between them. These differences lie primarily in the approach to the subject, the methodologies used, and the areas of concentration. Information security is concerned with the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data regardless of the form the data may take: electronic, print, or other forms. Governments, military, financial institutions, hospitals, and private businesses amass a great deal of confidential information about their employees, customers, products, research, and financial status. Most of this information is now collected, processed and stored on electronic computers and transmitted across networks to other computers. Should confidential information about a businesses customers or finances or new product line fall into the hands of a competitor, such a breach of security could lead to lost business, law suits or even bankruptcy of the business. Protecting confidential information is a business requirement, and in many cases also an ethical and legal requirement. For the individual, information security has a significant effect on Privacy, which is viewed very differently in different cultures. The field of information security has grown and evolved significantly in recent years. As a career...
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...é The Effects of Mandatory IFRS Adoption in the EU: A Review of Empirical Research October 2014 Information for Better Markets An initiative from the ICAEW Financial Reporting Faculty The Effects of Mandatory IFRS Adoption in the EU: A Review of Empirical Research forms part of the Information for Better Markets thought leadership programme of ICAEW’s Financial Reporting Faculty. ICAEW operates under a Royal Charter, working in the public interest. As a world leading professional accountancy body, ICAEW provides leadership and practical support to over 142,000 members in more than 160 countries, working with governments, regulators and industry to ensure the highest standards are maintained. The ICAEW Financial Reporting Faculty provides its members with practical assistance and support with IFRS, UK GAAP and other aspects of business reporting. It also comments on business reporting issues on behalf of ICAEW to standard setters and regulators. Its Information for Better Markets thought leadership programme subjects key questions in business reporting to careful and impartial analysis so as to help achieve practical solutions to complex problems. The programme focuses on three key themes: disclosure, measurement and regulation. We welcome comments and enquiries on this report and on the other aspects of the Information for Better Markets programme. To contact us, please email bettermarkets@icaew.com. © ICAEW 2014 All rights reserved. If you want...
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...RELEVANCE LOST (DISCUSSIE EN ONTWIKKELINGEN) Relevance lost is a title of the book written by Johnson and Kaplan, where they were complaining that management accounting techniques emerged centuries ago, are still used, but they no longer relevant in today’s highly competitive environment. CHAPTER 5 - CONTROLLING THE MULTI DIVISIONAL ORGANIZATION 64. What are the two major obstacles to the success of the integrated firm? 1. Complexity - or the bureaucratic paralysis caused by complexity. 2. Management indifference to the owner's goals (p.94). This potential problem resulted when managers replaced owners in performing the managerial functions. 65. How did the integrated firms cope with these problems? Multi divisional firms might have developed better accounting systems, (e.g., using Church's ideas) but instead they coped with these obstacles using decentralization (p.94-96). In decentralized firms, top management plans strategy, while subordinate managers coordinate and control operating activities (p.97). 66. What was the New Use Developed For ROI? J&K indicate that ROI was used to delegate responsibility and allocate funds, i.e., capital (p.98). (Note: Technically, responsibility can be assigned, but not delegated. The authority to act on one's behalf can be delegated as when someone is hired to do a tax return, but the taxpayer is still responsible.) 67. Success of multi divisional firms depends on the management accounting system to perform three task...
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...editors, S. P. Kothari, Tom Lys, and Jerry Zimmerman, for helpful comments and suggestions. We appreciate funding from the Financial Research Initiative, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, and Center for Finance and Accounting Research at UNC-Chapel Hill, Stanford GSB Faculty Trust, and the Bank of America Research Fellowship. Corresponding author: William H. Beaver, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, 518 Memorial Way, Stanford, CA 94305-5015, (650) 723-4409, fbeaver@leland.stanford.edu The Relevance of the Value Relevance Literature For Financial Accounting Standard Setting: Another View Abstract This paper explains that value relevance research assesses how well accounting amounts reflect information used by equity investors, and provides insights into questions of interest to standard setters. A primary focus of financial statements is equity investment. Other uses of financial statement information, such as contracting, do not diminish the importance of value relevance research. Value relevance questions can be addressed using extant valuation models. Value relevance studies address econometric issues that otherwise could limit inferences, and can accommodate and be used to study the implications of accounting conservatism. 1. Introduction This paper offers a view of the relevance of value relevance research for financial accounting standard setting that contrasts...
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...STR581 – Strategic Planning and Implementation – Final Exam Study Guide 2013 200 Correctly Answered Questions Remember to check out ACCNerd.com for the latest updates. Section 1 1. “Power prices” use price as a key strategic tool. These “power prices” have discovered the highly ________ effect of price on the bottom line. A. direct B. dramatic C. soothing D. Leveraged E. abrasive 2. Some intermediaries use the following: strategic planning, advanced information systems, sophisticated marketing tools, measure performance on a return-on-investment basis, segment their markets, improve their target marketing and positioning, and ________. A. dominant the manufacturers they do business with B. contend with dwindling customer bases C. aggressively pursue market expansion and diversification strategies D. aggressively pursue take over strategies E. aggressively “squeeze” manufacturer margins 3. Price has operated as the major determinant of buyer choice among poorer nations, among poorer groups, and with ________ products. A. similar B. identical C. commodity-type D. over the Internet | 4. Major retailer types include the following EXCEPT ________. A. the Internet B. specialty store C. superstore D. catalog showroom E. discount store 5. Following the ________ approach to target market selection encompasses a strong knowledge of the segment’s needs, a strong market presence, and operating economies through...
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... THE DETERMINANTS OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE Evidence from Commercial Banks in Ethiopia By K i b ro m M e h a ri F i s s e h a Reg.No.-CBE/PR0025/01 Research Project Submitted to the Department of Accounting and Finance, College of Business and Economics, Mekelle University, for the partial fulfillment of the degree of Master of Finance and Investment Under the Guidance of Aregawi Gebremichael (Ph.D. Candidate) Assistant Professor May, 2010 Mekelle, Ethiopia i THE DETERMINANTS OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE Evidence from Commercial Banks in Ethiopia By Kibrom Mehari Fisseha Reg. No. CBE/PR0025/01 ii DECLARATION I, Kibrom Mehari Fisseha, hereby declare that the project work entitled “The Determinants of Capital Structure: Evidence from Commercial Banks in Ethiopia” submitted by me for the award of the degree of Master of Science in Finance and Investment of Mekelle University, is original work and it hasn’t been presented for the award of any other Degree, Diploma, Fellowship or other similar titles of any other university or institution. Place: Mekelle Signature: Date: May, 2010 ………………….. KIBROM MEHARI FISSEHA iii CERTIFICATION I certify that the project work entitled “The Determinants of Capital Structure” is a bona-fide work of Mr. Kibrom Mehari who carried out the research under my guidance. Certified further, that to the best of my knowledge the work reported herein does not form part of any other project report or dissertation...
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...INFORMATION RESOURCE GUIDE Computer, Internet and Network Systems Security An Introduction to Security i Security Manual Compiled By: S.K.PARMAR, Cst N.Cowichan Duncan RCMP Det 6060 Canada Ave., Duncan, BC 250-748-5522 sunny@seaside.net This publication is for informational purposes only. In no way should this publication by interpreted as offering legal or accounting advice. If legal or other professional advice is needed it is encouraged that you seek it from the appropriate source. All product & company names mentioned in this manual are the [registered] trademarks of their respective owners. The mention of a product or company does not in itself constitute an endorsement. The articles, documents, publications, presentations, and white papers referenced and used to compile this manual are copyright protected by the original authors. Please give credit where it is due and obtain permission to use these. All material contained has been used with permission from the original author(s) or representing agent/organization. ii T eofContent abl 1.0 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 BASIC INTERNET TECHNICAL DETAILS ........................................................................................................................ 2 1.1.1 TCP/IP : Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol .................................................
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