Our empirical study is structured in two stages:
In the first stage, in light of the extent of judgment and discretion offered
to companies reporting under IFRS, we provide broad evidence on
the timeliness of asset write-offs recognized in earnings benchmarked
against a proxy for economic losses. In common with much academic
research, we assume that, in an efficient market, stock returns reflect the
magnitude of economic losses suffered by a firm in an unbiased manner.
We report evidence based on a large sample of 4,474 listed companies
from the European Union, plus Norway and Switzerland, on whether
and how the timeliness of recognition of economic losses in the post-
2005 period varies across countries domiciled in different institutional
environments in predictable ways. Our selection is based on a measure
of impairment intensity, which we define as the total non-current nonfinancial
asset impairment charge as a percentage of total assets at the
beginning of the year. This approach to identifying our sample ensures
that the selected companies are those in which impairments are a
relatively material disclosure item.
To evaluate the impact of differences in institutions across European
countries, we group countries into three clusters: cluster 1 includes
countries characterized as outsider economies (large and developed
stock markets, dispersed ownership structures, strong outside investor
protection rules and strong legal enforcement); cluster 2 constitutes
countries with insider economies (less-developed stock markets,
concentrated ownership structures and weak outside investor protection)
and strong rule enforcement; and cluster 3 includes countries with insider
economies and weak rule enforcement.
Next, we select a cross-sectional sample of 324 listed companies from
the European Union, plus Norway and Switzerland, for which we examine
detailed impairment-related disclosures in 2010-11. Our selection
is again driven by the degree of impairment intensity. We focus on
disclosures relating to three classes of non-current non-financial assets:
property, plant and equipment (PP&E), intangible assets other than
goodwill (hereafter intangible assets) and goodwill. To examine reporting
behavior and assess compliance, we use a self-constructed compliance
survey instrument based on Ernst & Young illustrative checklists and
define the disclosures that we would expect to observe in companies
taking asset write-downs. Based on the data we collect from the survey,
Our empirical study is structured in two stages:In the first stage, in light of the extent of judgment and discretion offeredto companies reporting under IFRS, we provide broad evidence onthe timeliness of asset write-offs recognized in earnings benchmarkedagainst a proxy for economic losses. In common with much academicresearch, we assume that, in an efficient market, stock returns reflect themagnitude of economic losses suffered by a firm in an unbiased manner.We report evidence based on a large sample of 4,474 listed companiesfrom the European Union, plus Norway and Switzerland, on whetherand how the timeliness of recognition of economic losses in the post-2005 period varies across countries domiciled in different institutionalenvironments in predictable ways. Our selection is based on a measureof impairment intensity, which we define as the total non-current nonfinancialasset impairment charge as a percentage of total assets at thebeginning of the year. This approach to identifying our sample ensuresthat the selected companies are those in which impairments are arelatively material disclosure item.To evaluate the impact of differences in institutions across Europeancountries, we group countries into three clusters: cluster 1 includescountries characterized as outsider economies (large and developedstock markets, dispersed ownership structures, strong outside investorprotection rules and strong legal enforcement); cluster 2 constitutescountries with insider economies (less-developed stock markets,concentrated ownership structures and weak outside investor protection)and strong rule enforcement; and cluster 3 includes countries with insidereconomies and weak rule enforcement.Next, we select a cross-sectional sample of 324 listed companies fromthe European Union, plus Norway and Switzerland, for which we examinedetailed impairment-related disclosures in 2010-11. Our selectionis again driven by the degree of impairment intensity. We focus ondisclosures relating to three classes of non-current non-financial assets:property, plant and equipment (PP&E), intangible assets other thangoodwill (hereafter intangible assets) and goodwill. To examine reportingbehavior and assess compliance, we use a self-constructed compliancesurvey instrument based on Ernst & Young illustrative checklists anddefine the disclosures that we would expect to observe in companiestaking asset write-downs. Based on the data we collect from the survey,
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