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European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences ISSN 1450-2275 Issue 11 (2008) © EuroJournals, Inc. 2008 http://www.eurojournalsn.com

The Usefulness of Corporate Governance and Financial Ratios to Credit and Financial Analysts: Evidence from Bahrain
Jasim Al-Ajmi Department of Economics and Finance, College of Business Administration University of Bahrain, Bahrain Tel: +973-39444284; Fax: +973-17449776 E-mail: jasimalajmi@gmail.com

Abstract
Financial ratios provide useful quantitative information to investors and analysts who want to evaluate the operations of a firm and analyze its position within its industry over time. The financial indicators that analysts use as basis for decisions are not necessarily all equally useful. This study attempts to determine the perceptions of credit and financial analysts working in financial institutions in Bahrain as to the usefulness of 71 financial ratios and 6 attributes of corporate governance named in a questionnaire. There are no significant differences between credit analysts and financial analysts with respect to 40 of the indicators. Credit analysts consider the quick ratio the most useful ratio, followed by the non-recurrent ratio. Financial analysts consider price-earnings the most useful ratio, followed by the market-to-book ratio. The quality of corporate governance practices is also considered important by financial analysts, but less important by credit analysts. These results should be of interest to a variety of stakeholders, including credit analysts, financial analysts, auditors, regulators and educators.

Keywords: Corporate governance, credit analysts, financial analysts, Bahrain, financial ratios

1. Introduction
Accounting information is important for rationalizing the decisions of users of corporate reports in many countries including Bahrain; Anderson (1981), Arnold and

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