IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v11y2024i1d10.1057_s41599-024-04169-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Are risk disclosures in financial reports informative? A text mining-based perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaoqian Zhu

    (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    MOE Social Science Laboratory of Digital Economic Forecasts and Policy Simulation at UCAS)

  • Jianping Li

    (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    MOE Social Science Laboratory of Digital Economic Forecasts and Policy Simulation at UCAS)

  • Yinghui Wang

    (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

This paper studies whether the risk factors disclosed in financial reports are as informative as SEC requires. The subprime crisis is used as a typical real-risk event to test their informativeness by text mining methods. By analyzing the textual attributes and specific contents of the risk disclosures in 14089 Form 10-K statements of 1,685 financial firms from 2006 to 2022, the results show that firms tend to disclose risks in more specific and negative language and significantly reduce stickiness and boilerplate during the subprime crisis. This paper also finds that the changes of risk factors are consistent with the actual risk profile before, during and after the subprime crisis. The failed institutions during the crisis have disclosed more risks related to the subprime crisis using a more negative tone than the survived institutions. These findings all provide evidence that the risk factors in Form 10-K are informative and not invariable boilerplate.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaoqian Zhu & Jianping Li & Yinghui Wang, 2024. "Are risk disclosures in financial reports informative? A text mining-based perspective," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-04169-w
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-04169-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-024-04169-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-024-04169-w?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. Skinner, Dj, 1994. "Why Firms Voluntarily Disclose Bad-News," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 38-60.
    2. Ning Hu & Kee Chye Ho & Pik Shy Fan, 2024. "Malaysian Chinese folk beliefs on Facebook based on LDA topic modelling," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Wenling Lu & David A. Whidbee, 2013. "Bank structure and failure during the financial crisis," Journal of Financial Economic Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 5(3), pages 281-299, July.
    4. Charitou, Andreas & Louca, Christodoulos & Vafeas, Nikos, 2007. "Boards, ownership structure, and involuntary delisting from the New York Stock Exchange," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 249-262.
    5. Chen, Wei-Da & Chen, Yehning & Huang, Shu-Chun, 2021. "Liquidity risk and bank performance during financial crises," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    6. Tim Loughran & Bill Mcdonald, 2014. "Measuring Readability in Financial Disclosures," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(4), pages 1643-1671, August.
    7. Andersen, L.B. & Häger, D. & Maberg, S. & Næss, M.B. & Tungland, M., 2012. "The financial crisis in an operational risk management context—A review of causes and influencing factors," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 3-12.
    8. Nanyi Fei & Zhiwu Lu & Yizhao Gao & Guoxing Yang & Yuqi Huo & Jingyuan Wen & Haoyu Lu & Ruihua Song & Xin Gao & Tao Xiang & Hao Sun & Ji-Rong Wen, 2022. "Towards artificial general intelligence via a multimodal foundation model," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    9. Elsayed, Mohamed & Elshandidy, Tamer, 2020. "Do narrative-related disclosures predict corporate failure? Evidence from UK non-financial publicly quoted firms," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    10. Degu Kefale Chanie & Keshav Malhotra & Monika Aggarwal, 2024. "Assessment of financial and social disclosure level of Ethiopian commercial banks," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Tim Loughran & Bill McDonald, 2023. "Management disclosure of risk factors and COVID-19," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    12. Li, Jianping & Li, Guowen & Liu, Mingxi & Zhu, Xiaoqian & Wei, Lu, 2022. "A novel text-based framework for forecasting agricultural futures using massive online news headlines," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 35-50.
    13. John L. Campbell & Mark Cecchini & Anna M. Cianci & Anne C. Ehinger & Edward M. Werner, 2019. "Tax-related mandatory risk factor disclosures, future profitability, and stock returns," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 264-308, March.
    14. Lu Wei & Guowen Li & Xiaoqian Zhu & Jianping Li, 2019. "Discovering bank risk factors from financial statements based on a new semi‐supervised text mining algorithm," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(3), pages 1519-1552, September.
    15. Dyer, Travis & Lang, Mark & Stice-Lawrence, Lorien, 2017. "The evolution of 10-K textual disclosure: Evidence from Latent Dirichlet Allocation," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 221-245.
    16. Kathleen Weiss Hanley & Gerard Hoberg, 2019. "Dynamic Interpretation of Emerging Risks in the Financial Sector," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 32(12), pages 4543-4603.
    17. Carlson, Mark & Macchiavelli, Marco, 2020. "Emergency loans and collateral upgrades: How broker-dealers used Federal Reserve credit during the 2008 financial crisis," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(3), pages 701-722.
    18. Hasan, Iftekhar & Manfredonia, Stefano, 2022. "Productivity, managers’ social connections and the financial crisis," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    19. Skinner, Douglas J., 1997. "Earnings disclosures and stockholder lawsuits," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 249-282, November.
    20. Karen K. Nelson & A. C. Pritchard, 2016. "Carrot or Stick? The Shift from Voluntary to Mandatory Disclosure of Risk Factors," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(2), pages 266-297, June.
    21. Marshall, Andrew & McCann, Laura & McColgan, Patrick, 2019. "The market reaction to debt announcements: UK evidence surrounding the global financial crisis," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 92-109.
    22. Mehrzad Azmi Shabestari & Kevin Moffitt & Bharat Sarath, 2020. "Did the banking sector foresee the financial crisis? Evidence from risk factor disclosures," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 647-669, August.
    23. Tim Loughran & Bill Mcdonald, 2016. "Textual Analysis in Accounting and Finance: A Survey," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 1187-1230, September.
    24. Limei Che & Ole-Kristian Hope & John Christian Langli, 2020. "How Big-4 Firms Improve Audit Quality," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(10), pages 4552-4572, October.
    25. Bessler, Wolfgang & Kurmann, Philipp, 2014. "Bank risk factors and changing risk exposures: Capital market evidence before and during the financial crisis," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 13(C), pages 151-166.
    26. Ole-Kristian Hope & Danqi Hu & Hai Lu, 2016. "The benefits of specific risk-factor disclosures," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 1005-1045, December.
    27. Richard Lambert & Christian Leuz & Robert E. Verrecchia, 2007. "Accounting Information, Disclosure, and the Cost of Capital," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 385-420, May.
    28. S. P. Kothari & Susan Shu & Peter D. Wysocki, 2009. "Do Managers Withhold Bad News?," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(1), pages 241-276, March.
    29. Brooks, Chris & Schopohl, Lisa, 2018. "Topics and trends in finance research: What is published, who publishes it and what gets cited?," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(6), pages 615-637.
    30. Sumit Agarwal & Vincent Y. S. Chen & Weina Zhang, 2016. "The Information Value of Credit Rating Action Reports: A Textual Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(8), pages 2218-2240, August.
    31. Allen H. Huang & Reuven Lehavy & Amy Y. Zang & Rong Zheng, 2018. "Analyst Information Discovery and Interpretation Roles: A Topic Modeling Approach," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 64(6), pages 2833-2855, June.
    32. Zhu, Xiaoqian & Xie, Yongjia & Li, Jianping & Wu, Dengsheng, 2015. "Change point detection for subprime crisis in American banking: From the perspective of risk dependence," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 18-28.
    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. Jaeschke, Reemda & Lopatta, Kerstin & Yi, Cheong, 2018. "Managers’ use of language in corrupt firms’ financial disclosures: Evidence from FCPA violators," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 170-192.
    2. Christian Leuz & Peter D. Wysocki, 2016. "The Economics of Disclosure and Financial Reporting Regulation: Evidence and Suggestions for Future Research," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 525-622, May.
    3. Harold H. Zhang & Feng Zhao & Xiaofei Zhao, 2024. "Neglected Risks in the Communication of Residential Mortgage‐Backed Securities Offerings," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 79(1), pages 129-172, February.
    4. Elsayed, Mohamed & Elshandidy, Tamer, 2021. "Internal control effectiveness, textual risk disclosure, and their usefulness: U.S. evidence," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    5. Hans B. Christensen & Luzi Hail & Christian Leuz, 2021. "Mandatory CSR and sustainability reporting: economic analysis and literature review," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 1176-1248, September.
    6. Tiffany Chiu & Victoria Chiu & Aiguo Wang & Tawei Wang & Yunsen Wang, 2024. "Respond or not? Analyst recommendation and companies' press releases after adverse events," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 64(4), pages 3469-3494, December.
    7. Beyer, Anne & Cohen, Daniel A. & Lys, Thomas Z. & Walther, Beverly R., 2010. "The financial reporting environment: Review of the recent literature," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 296-343, December.
    8. John Berns & Patty Bick & Ryan Flugum & Reza Houston, 2022. "Do changes in MD&A section tone predict investment behavior?," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 57(1), pages 129-153, February.
    9. Richard Frankel & Jared Jennings & Joshua Lee, 2022. "Disclosure Sentiment: Machine Learning vs. Dictionary Methods," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(7), pages 5514-5532, July.
    10. Elsayed, Mohamed & Elshandidy, Tamer, 2020. "Do narrative-related disclosures predict corporate failure? Evidence from UK non-financial publicly quoted firms," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    11. Allen H. Huang & Jianghua Shen & Amy Y. Zang, 2022. "The unintended benefit of the risk factor mandate of 2005," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 1319-1355, December.
    12. Jing Chen & Elaine Henry & Xi Jiang, 2023. "Is Cybersecurity Risk Factor Disclosure Informative? Evidence from Disclosures Following a Data Breach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 187(1), pages 199-224, September.
    13. James P. Ryans, 2021. "Textual classification of SEC comment letters," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 37-80, March.
    14. Alex Kim & Maximilian Muhn & Valeri Nikolaev, 2023. "Bloated Disclosures: Can ChatGPT Help Investors Process Information?," Papers 2306.10224, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2025.
    15. Rjiba, Hatem & Saadi, Samir & Boubaker, Sabri & Ding, Xiaoya (Sara), 2021. "Annual report readability and the cost of equity capital," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    16. Blankespoor, Elizabeth & deHaan, Ed & Marinovic, Iván, 2020. "Disclosure processing costs, investors’ information choice, and equity market outcomes: A review," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(2).
    17. Xiaoqian Zhu & Yinghui Wang & Jianping Li, 2022. "What drives reputational risk? Evidence from textual risk disclosures in financial statements," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-15, December.
    18. Judson Caskey & Kanyuan Huang & Daniel Saavedra, 2023. "Noncompliance with SEC regulations: evidence from timely loan disclosures," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 126-163, March.
    19. Thomas Bourveau & Yun Lou & Rencheng Wang, 2018. "Shareholder Litigation and Corporate Disclosure: Evidence from Derivative Lawsuits," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(3), pages 797-842, June.
    20. Cao, Sean Shun & Fang, Vivian W. & (Gillian) Lei, Lijun, 2021. "Negative peer disclosure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(3), pages 815-837.

    More about this item

    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:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-04169-w. 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: https://www.nature.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.