Our results indicate that the accounting amounts of firms that apply IAS are of higher quality than those of non-U.S. firms that do not. The accounting amounts we compare result from the interaction of features of the financial reporting system, which include accounting standards, their interpretation, enforcement, and litigation. Generally, we find that firms applying IAS exhibit less earnings smoothing, less managing of earnings towards a target, more timely recognition of losses, and a higher association of accounting amounts with share prices and returns. Although we include research design features to mitigate the effects of incentives and the economic environment, we cannot be sure that our findings are attributable