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Characteristics of UK firms related to timing of adoption of Statement of Standard Accounting Practice No. 20
Author(s) -
Iatridis George Emmanuel,
Joseph Nathan Lael
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
accounting and finance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.645
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1467-629X
pISSN - 0810-5391
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-629x.2006.00176.x
Subject(s) - profitability index , leverage (statistics) , financial statement , dividend , business , accounting , currency , financial accounting , monetary economics , economics , finance , accounting information system , audit , machine learning , computer science
This study examines whether the timing of adoption of the UK Statement of Standard Accounting Practice No. 20 ‘Foreign Currency Translation’ depended on firms’ financial characteristics. Consistent with US studies, we find that early adopters tended to be larger firms, and that variables, such as growth options, profitability, leverage and management payout, have strong predictive power. In general, the decision to adopt the Statement of Standard Accounting Practice No. 20 did not appear to adversely affect the profitability measures or dividend payout. Firms tended to adopt when the adverse economic consequences of the adoption were likely to be minimal. They also appeared to defer the adoption of the standard to influence their financial performance and, hence, to achieve certain corporate financial objectives.