IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jrefec/v65y2022i3d10.1007_s11146-020-09795-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

CEO Influence on Funds from Operations (FFO) Adjustment for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Author

Listed:
  • Zhilan Feng

    (Clarkson University)

  • Zhilu Lin

    (Clarkson University)

  • Wentao Wu

    (Clarkson University)

Abstract

This paper investigates the non-GAAP performance measures of the REIT industry, specifically the difference (FFO adjustment) between concurrent FFO and Net Income (NI). Using the U.S. Equity REIT data from 1993 to 2018, we first find evidence that both NI and FFO are associated with REIT market-adjusted stock returns, suggesting both contain information that is valuable to investors. Second, we document a significant and positive relationship between contemporaneous FFO adjustment and NI, indicating a possible “selective” and “intentional” inclusion and/or omission of “good” vs. “bad” news in FFO reporting. Third, we find direct evidence that more powerful CEOs are indeed associated with higher FFO adjustments, suggesting CEOs’ involvement in hiding subpar performance. Finally, we focus our attention on a more recent period, when the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) provided additional clarifications and guidelines, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) increased scrutiny on FFO reporting. Our results show a diminished “manipulation” for the majority of the REITs, suggesting these guidelines and scrutiny have achieved their intended purposes. While non-GAAP performance measures might supply additional information to investors, our results indicate that providing continuous guidance and monitoring is essential.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhilan Feng & Zhilu Lin & Wentao Wu, 2022. "CEO Influence on Funds from Operations (FFO) Adjustment for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 65(3), pages 524-547, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jrefec:v:65:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s11146-020-09795-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11146-020-09795-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11146-020-09795-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11146-020-09795-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Easton, Pd & Harris, Ts, 1991. "Earnings As An Explanatory Variable For Returns," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 19-36.
    2. Berger, Philip G & Ofek, Eli & Yermack, David L, 1997. "Managerial Entrenchment and Capital Structure Decisions," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(4), pages 1411-1438, September.
    3. Dechow, Patricia M., 1994. "Accounting earnings and cash flows as measures of firm performance : The role of accounting accruals," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 3-42, July.
    4. Bhattacharya, Nilabhra & Black, Ervin L. & Christensen, Theodore E. & Larson, Chad R., 2003. "Assessing the relative informativeness and permanence of pro forma earnings and GAAP operating earnings," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(1-3), pages 285-319, December.
    5. Nusret Cakici & Isil Erol & Dogan Tirtiroglu, 2014. "Tracking the Evolution of Idiosyncratic Risk and Cross-Sectional Expected Returns for US REITs," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 415-440, April.
    6. Emanuela Giacomini & David C. Ling & Andy Naranjo, 2017. "REIT Leverage and Return Performance: Keep Your Eye on the Target," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 45(4), pages 930-978, December.
    7. Danny Ben-Shahar & Eyal Sulganik & Desmond Tsang, 2011. "Funds from Operations Versus Net Income: Examining the Dividend-Relevance of REIT Performance Measures," Journal of Real Estate Research, American Real Estate Society, vol. 33(3), pages 415-442.
    8. Yuichiro Kawaguchi & Jarjisu Sa-Aadu & James D. Shilling, 2017. "REIT Stock Price Volatility and the Effects of Leverage," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 45(2), pages 452-477, April.
    9. Kyung, Hangsoo & Lee, Hakyin & Marquardt, Carol, 2019. "The effect of voluntary clawback adoption on non-GAAP reporting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 175-201.
    10. Basu, Sudipta, 1997. "The conservatism principle and the asymmetric timeliness of earnings," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 3-37, December.
    11. Edith Leung & David Veenman, 2018. "Non‐GAAP Earnings Disclosure in Loss Firms," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(4), pages 1083-1137, September.
    12. S. Price & Jesus Salas & C. Sirmans, 2015. "Governance, Conference Calls and CEO Compensation," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 181-206, February.
    13. Theodore E. Christensen & Michael S. Drake & Jacob R. Thornock, 2014. "Optimistic Reporting and Pessimistic Investing: Do Pro Forma Earnings Disclosures Attract Short Sellers?," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 67-102, March.
    14. Hartzell, Jay C. & Sun, Libo & Titman, Sheridan, 2014. "Institutional investors as monitors of corporate diversification decisions: Evidence from real estate investment trusts," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 61-72.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. S. P. Kothari & Charles Wasley, 2019. "Commemorating the 50‐Year Anniversary of Ball and Brown (1968): The Evolution of Capital Market Research over the Past 50 Years," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(5), pages 1117-1159, December.
    2. Jason V. Chen & Kurt H. Gee & Jed J. Neilson, 2021. "Disclosure Prominence and the Quality of Non‐GAAP Earnings," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(1), pages 163-213, March.
    3. Edith Leung & David Veenman, 2018. "Non‐GAAP Earnings Disclosure in Loss Firms," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(4), pages 1083-1137, September.
    4. Claudia Arena & Simona Catuogno & Nicola Moscariello, 2021. "The unusual debate on non-GAAP reporting in the current standard practice. The lens of corporate governance," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 25(3), pages 655-684, September.
    5. Gu, Zhaoyang & Chen, Ting, 2004. "Analysts' treatment of nonrecurring items in street earnings," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 129-170, December.
    6. Hsu, Charles & Wang, Rencheng & Whipple, Benjamin C., 2022. "Non-GAAP earnings and stock price crash risk," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2).
    7. Florian Meier, 2020. "The Age of Cheap Money and Passive Investing: Are Pro Forma Earnings Value Relevant?," Journal of Finance and Investment Analysis, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 9(2), pages 1-1.
    8. Kamarudin, Khairul Anuar & Ariff, Akmalia M. & Jaafar, Aziz, 2020. "Investor protection, cross-listing and accounting quality," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1).
    9. Kothari, S. P., 2001. "Capital markets research in accounting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-3), pages 105-231, September.
    10. Irena Jindrichovska, 2001. "The relationship between accounting numbers and returns: some empirical evidence from the emerging market of the Czech Republic," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 107-131.
    11. Elmar R. Venter & David Emanuel & Steven F. Cahan, 2014. "The Value Relevance of Mandatory Non-GAAP Earnings," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 50(1), pages 1-24, March.
    12. Theodore E. Christensen & Enrique Gomez & Matthew Ma & Jing Pan, 2021. "Analysts’ role in shaping non-GAAP reporting: evidence from a natural experiment," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 172-217, March.
    13. Karampinis, Nikolaos I. & Hevas, Dimosthenis L., 2011. "Mandating IFRS in an Unfavorable Environment: The Greek Experience," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 304-332, September.
    14. Igor Goncharov & Allan Hodgson, 2008. "Comprehensive Income In Europe: Valuation, Prediction And Conservative Issues," Annales Universitatis Apulensis Series Oeconomica, Faculty of Sciences, "1 Decembrie 1918" University, Alba Iulia, vol. 1(10), pages 1-1.
    15. Fargher, Neil & Wee, Marvin, 2019. "The impact of Ball and Brown (1968) on generations of research," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 55-72.
    16. Laurion, Henry & Sloan, Richard, 2022. "When does forecasting GAAP earnings entail unreasonable effort?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(1).
    17. Ji-Hye Park & Joong-Seok Cho, 2016. "The Effect of Earnings Recognition on Firm-Specific Information Variation," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 6(2), pages 386-391.
    18. Elizabeth A. Gordon & Bjorn N. Jorgensen & Cheryl L. Linthicum, 2011. "Could IFRS Replace US GAAP? A Comparison of Earnings Attributes and Informativeness in the US Market," Working Papers 0028, College of Business, University of Texas at San Antonio.
    19. Theodore E. Christensen & Hang Pei & Spencer R. Pierce & Liang Tan, 2019. "Non-GAAP reporting following debt covenant violations," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 629-664, June.
    20. Brett Govendir & Peter Wells, 2014. "The influence of the accruals generating process on earnings persistence," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 39(4), pages 593-614, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    REITs; Funds from operations; CEO power;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D2 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty
    • R3 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jrefec:v:65:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s11146-020-09795-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.