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Accounting for investments and the relevance of losses to firm value

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  • Wu, Hai
  • Fargher, Neil
  • Wright, Sue

Abstract

Recent research has documented investment in research and development as a key driver of the market value of currently unprofitable firms (hereafter loss firms) in a knowledge-based economy. We broaden this argument to consider the influence of accounting for investments in general on the relation between current profitability and firm value for loss firms. Specifically, in the context of a resource-based economy, we find that exploration costs, cash flow measures of investment, and research and development costs help to explain the value of loss firms and reduce the negative relation between current profitability and firm value.

Suggested Citation

  • Wu, Hai & Fargher, Neil & Wright, Sue, 2010. "Accounting for investments and the relevance of losses to firm value," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 104-127, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:accoun:v:45:y:2010:i:1:p:104-127
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaomeng Chen & Sue Wright & Hai Wu, 2018. "Exploration intensity, analysts’ private information development and their forecast performance," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(1), pages 77-107, January.
    2. Teng Zhou & Jacqueline Birt & Michaela Rankin, 2015. "The value relevance of exploration and evaluation expenditures," Accounting Research Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 28(3), pages 228-250, November.
    3. Meiting Lu & Yaowen Shan & Sue Wright & Yimeng Yu, 2020. "Operating cash flow asymmetric timeliness in Australia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(S1), pages 587-627, April.
    4. Hai Wu, 2017. "Probability of loss reversal in Australia," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 42(4), pages 560-582, November.
    5. Lorena Mitrione & George Tanewski & Jacqueline Birt, 2014. "The relevance to firm valuation of research and development expenditure in the Australian health-care industry," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 39(3), pages 425-452, August.
    6. Thi Bui & Andrew Ferguson & Peter Lam, 2021. "CEO compensation in early‐stage firms: Rewards for prospectivity and survival," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(5-6), pages 895-928, May.
    7. Mukesh Garg, 2017. "Value relevance of voluntary internal control certification: An information asymmetry perspective," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 42(4), pages 527-559, November.
    8. Jiang, Wei & Stark, Andrew W., 2013. "Dividends, research and development expenditures, and the value relevance of book value for UK loss-making firms," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 112-124.
    9. Vassilios‐Christos Naoum & Georgios A. Papanastasopoulos, 2021. "The implications of cash flows for future earnings and stock returns within profit and loss firms," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(2), pages 2927-2945, April.
    10. Feng Gu & Baruch Lev & Chenqi Zhu, 2023. "All losses are not alike: Real versus accounting-driven reported losses," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 1141-1189, September.
    11. Guler Aras & Evrim Hacioglu Kazak, 2022. "Enhancing Firm Value through the Lens of ESG Materiality: Evidence from the Banking Sector in OECD Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-29, November.
    12. Mustafa Ciftci & Masako Darrough, 2015. "What Explains the Valuation Difference between Intangible-intensive Profit and Loss Firms?," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(1-2), pages 138-166, January.

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