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On the intertemporal value relevance of conventional financial accounting in Australia
Author(s) -
Brimble Mark,
Hodgson Allan
Publication year - 2007
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.2007.00241.x
Subject(s) - accounting , valuation (finance) , earnings , accounting information system , balance sheet , financial accounting , relevance (law) , economics , earnings response coefficient , book value , accounting standard , stock (firearms) , positive accounting , business , net income , political science , geography , archaeology , law
This paper examines whether the relevance of conventional (earnings focused) accounting information for valuation has declined in Australia over a recent period of 28 years. Motivation is provided by the anecdotal concerns of financial analysts, accounting regulators, and a cluster of US centric academic research papers that conclude that the relevance of financial accounting (and earnings in particular) has declined over time. After controlling for nonlinearities and stock price inefficiencies, we find that the value relevance of core accounting earnings has not declined. A possible exception is found for small stocks. We also observe that net book values are relatively less important in Australia when compared to the USA. Our results are informative for investors who require feedback on valuation issues and the International Accounting Standards Board regulators in any further moves towards a balance sheet focus.