Abstract
Translate Abstract
Until recently, the vast majority of UK companies took advantage of the option allowed in SSAP 22 which allowed purchased goodwill to be written off to reserves rather than being capitalised and amortised. In 1997, ASB issued FRS 10, which mandates all companies to capitalise purchased goodwill for new acquisitions. This thesis examines four issues related to the change in the UK accounting regime. The thesis contains four empirical studies. The questions addressed by these four studies are as follows. First, is purchased goodwill value-relevant, regardless of whether it is capitalised or immediately written off to reserves? The test goes further to examine if capitalised goodwill is incrementally value-relevant beyond the undifferentiated aggregate amount of capitalised goodwill and uncapitalised goodwill. Second, if goodwill is viewed as an asset, is there any evidence in the association between market value and previously acquired goodwill of different gas and in the association between earnings and previously acquired goodwill of different ages that goodwill diminishes in value through time. Third, what are the characteristics of companies that elect to early adopt FRS 10? Fourth, why do companies choose to reinstate previously written-off goodwill on adoption of FRS 10? The results suggest that investors do incorporate information relating to purchased goodwill in valuing firms. These findings accord with prior expectations and prior literature that goodwill is viewed by the market as an asset. The test of whether the value of goodwill diminishes over time suggests that goodwill retains its value over time. Although there is evidence that the value of goodwill declines at some point, this does not provide evidence of any particular depreciation pattern. A clear relationship between various ages of goodwill and subsequent earnings is not revealed by the test. Taken together, these results do not contradict regulations under the newly issued US standard SFAS 142 on the use of impairment test only for goodwill. Tests on whether amortisation information is useful to investors provide little evidence to support this claim. Regarding accounting policy choices surrounding the implementation of FRS 10, the evidence suggests that companies that early adopted FRS 10 and/or reinstated their previously written-off goodwill tend to be those with higher gearing ratios. However, there is no strong evidence showing that profitability is significantly related to early adoption or reinstatement decisions.
บทคัดย่อแปลบทคัดย่อUntil recently, the vast majority of UK companies took advantage of the option allowed in SSAP 22 which allowed purchased goodwill to be written off to reserves rather than being capitalised and amortised. In 1997, ASB issued FRS 10, which mandates all companies to capitalise purchased goodwill for new acquisitions. This thesis examines four issues related to the change in the UK accounting regime. The thesis contains four empirical studies. The questions addressed by these four studies are as follows. First, is purchased goodwill value-relevant, regardless of whether it is capitalised or immediately written off to reserves? The test goes further to examine if capitalised goodwill is incrementally value-relevant beyond the undifferentiated aggregate amount of capitalised goodwill and uncapitalised goodwill. Second, if goodwill is viewed as an asset, is there any evidence in the association between market value and previously acquired goodwill of different gas and in the association between earnings and previously acquired goodwill of different ages that goodwill diminishes in value through time. Third, what are the characteristics of companies that elect to early adopt FRS 10? Fourth, why do companies choose to reinstate previously written-off goodwill on adoption of FRS 10? The results suggest that investors do incorporate information relating to purchased goodwill in valuing firms. These findings accord with prior expectations and prior literature that goodwill is viewed by the market as an asset. The test of whether the value of goodwill diminishes over time suggests that goodwill retains its value over time. Although there is evidence that the value of goodwill declines at some point, this does not provide evidence of any particular depreciation pattern. A clear relationship between various ages of goodwill and subsequent earnings is not revealed by the test. Taken together, these results do not contradict regulations under the newly issued US standard SFAS 142 on the use of impairment test only for goodwill. Tests on whether amortisation information is useful to investors provide little evidence to support this claim. Regarding accounting policy choices surrounding the implementation of FRS 10, the evidence suggests that companies that early adopted FRS 10 and/or reinstated their previously written-off goodwill tend to be those with higher gearing ratios. However, there is no strong evidence showing that profitability is significantly related to early adoption or reinstatement decisions.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
