Are Investors Misled by "Pro Forma" earnings?
This paper uses stock market data to investigate the popular claim that investors are misled by the "pro forma" eamings numbers conspicuously featured in the press releases of some U.S. firms. We first document the frequency and magnitude of pro forma eamings in press releases issued during June through August 2000, and describe the 433 firms that engaged in this financial disclosure strategy. Our test period predates puhlic expressions of concem by trade associations and regulators that pro forma earnings may mislead investors and the subsequent issuance of guidelines and rules on the disclosure of pro forma eamings numbers.
We use two complementary approaches to determine whether the share prices that investors
assign to pro forma firms are systematically higher than the prices assigned to other firms.
Our market-multiples tests for differences in price levels find some evidence suggesting that pro forma firms may be priced higher than finns that do not use the disclosure strategy. This apparent overpricing is not, however, related to the pro forma eamings numbers themselves.
Our narrow-window stock retums tests reveal no evidence of a stock retum premium for pro
forma firms at the quanerly eamings announcement date. Collectively, the results cast doubt on the notion that investors are. on average, misled by pro forma earnings disclosures despite the widespread concem expressed in the financial press and by regulators.