IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/rvmgts/v12y2018i3d10.1007_s11846-016-0223-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Has SFAS 142 improved the usefulness of goodwill impairment loss and goodwill balances for investors?

Author

Listed:
  • Lale Guler

    (The University of Texas at Dallas)

Abstract

Due to the concerns about the annual SFAS 142 impairment test, the FASB has recently added a project to its technical agenda to evaluate potential alternatives for measurement of goodwill. Motivated by the FASB’s consideration of a change in goodwill accounting, I examine the impact of SFAS 142 on the usefulness of goodwill write-offs and goodwill balances. I find that goodwill write-offs and goodwill balances are more strongly associated with stock returns and stock prices respectively after SFAS 142 than before SFAS 142. Furthermore, in the post-SFAS 142 period, I find that the association between stock prices and goodwill is lower for firms that avoid the recognition of the existing goodwill impairments, and that goodwill write-offs are more negatively associated with stock returns for firms where managers have more discretion over the impairment testing process. Overall, the findings suggest that despite the concerns of critics over the reliability of fair value estimates of goodwill, (1) SFAS 142 has improved the usefulness of goodwill numbers from investor perspective, and (2) investors see through the differences in reliability of reported goodwill numbers. These results have implications for standard-setting as the FASB considers new alternatives for goodwill accounting.

Suggested Citation

  • Lale Guler, 2018. "Has SFAS 142 improved the usefulness of goodwill impairment loss and goodwill balances for investors?," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 559-592, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:rvmgts:v:12:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s11846-016-0223-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11846-016-0223-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11846-016-0223-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11846-016-0223-y?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. Aboody, David & Barth, Mary E. & Kasznik, Ron, 1999. "Revaluations of fixed assets and future firm performance: Evidence from the UK1," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(1-3), pages 149-178, January.
    2. 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.
    3. Barth, Mary E. & Beaver, William H. & Landsman, Wayne R., 2001. "The relevance of the value relevance literature for financial accounting standard setting: another view," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-3), pages 77-104, September.
    4. Henning, SL & Lewis, BL & Shaw, WH, 2000. "Valuation of the components of purchased goodwill," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 375-386.
    5. Holthausen, Robert W. & Watts, Ross L., 2001. "The relevance of the value-relevance literature for financial accounting standard setting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-3), pages 3-75, September.
    6. Anne Beatty & Joseph Weber, 2006. "Accounting Discretion in Fair Value Estimates: An Examination of SFAS 142 Goodwill Impairments," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(2), pages 257-288, May.
    7. White, Halbert, 1980. "A Heteroskedasticity-Consistent Covariance Matrix Estimator and a Direct Test for Heteroskedasticity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(4), pages 817-838, May.
    8. Young-Soo Choi & Ken Peasnell & Joao Toniato, 2013. "Has the IASB Been Successful in Making Accounting Earnings More Useful for Prediction and Valuation? UK Evidence," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(7-8), pages 741-768, September.
    9. Newey, Whitney & West, Kenneth, 2014. "A simple, positive semi-definite, heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation consistent covariance matrix," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 33(1), pages 125-132.
    10. Francis, J & Hanna, JD & Vincent, L, 1996. "Causes and effects of discretionary asset write-offs," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34, pages 117-134.
    11. Lee, Cheol, 2011. "The effect of SFAS 142 on the ability of goodwill to predict future cash flows," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 236-255, May.
    12. Henry Jarva, 2009. "Do Firms Manage Fair Value Estimates? An Examination of SFAS 142 Goodwill Impairments," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(9-10), pages 1059-1086.
    13. Givoly, Dan & Hayn, Carla, 2000. "The changing time-series properties of earnings, cash flows and accruals: Has financial reporting become more conservative?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 287-320, June.
    14. Henry Jarva, 2009. "Do Firms Manage Fair Value Estimates? An Examination of SFAS 142 Goodwill Impairments," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(9‐10), pages 1059-1086, November.
    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. Wen, He & Moehrle, Stephen R., 2016. "Accounting for goodwill: An academic literature review and analysis to inform the debate," Research in Accounting Regulation, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 11-21.
    2. Henry Jarva, 2014. "Economic consequences of SFAS 142 goodwill write-offs," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 54(1), pages 211-235, March.
    3. Begoña Giner & Francisca Pardo, 2015. "How Ethical are Managers’ Goodwill Impairment Decisions in Spanish-Listed Firms?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(1), pages 21-40, November.
    4. George Emmanuel Iatridis & Daniel Senftlechner, 2014. "An Empirical Investigation of Goodwill in Austria: Evidence on Management Change and Cost of Capital," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 24(2), pages 171-181, June.
    5. Johannes Thesing & Patrick Velte, 2021. "Do fair value measurements affect accounting-based earnings quality? A literature review with a focus on corporate governance as moderator," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 91(7), pages 965-1004, September.
    6. Alshehabi, Ahmad & Georgiou, George & Ala, Alessandro S., 2021. "Country-specific drivers of the value relevance of goodwill impairment losses," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    7. Araceli Amorós Martínez & José Antonio Cavero Rubio, 2018. "The Economic Effects of IFRS Goodwill Reporting," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 28(3), pages 309-322, September.
    8. Benjamin T. Albersmann & Reiner Quick, 2020. "The Impact of Audit Quality Indicators on the Timeliness of Goodwill Impairments: Evidence from the German Setting," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 56(1), pages 66-103, March.
    9. Iatridis, George Emmanuel & Pappas, Kostas & Walker, Martin, 2022. "Narrative disclosure quality and the timeliness of goodwill impairments," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(2).
    10. Andrei Filip & Thomas Jeanjean & Luc Paugam, 2015. "Using Real Activities to Avoid Goodwill Impairment Losses: Evidence and Effect on Future Performance," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(3-4), pages 515-554, April.
    11. Amer Qasim & Ayman E. Haddad & Naser M. AbuGhazaleh, 2013. "Goodwill Accounting In The United Kingdom: The Effect Of International Financial Reporting Standards," Review of Business and Finance Studies, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 4(1), pages 63-78.
    12. Hamberg, Mattias & Beisland, Leif-Atle, 2014. "Changes in the value relevance of goodwill accounting following the adoption of IFRS 3," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 59-73.
    13. Chung, Hyeesoo H. & Wynn, Jinyoung P., 2008. "Managerial legal liability coverage and earnings conservatism," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 135-153, September.
    14. Côme Segrétain, 2011. "Écarts d'acquisition, résultats résiduels consécutifs et surprix," Post-Print hal-00650581, HAL.
    15. Avallone, Francesco & Quagli, Alberto, 2015. "Insight into the variables used to manage the goodwill impairment test under IAS 36," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 107-114.
    16. Jonas Oliveira & Graça Azevedo & Bertina Oliveira, 2018. "Impairment Losses: The Impact of First‐time Adoption of the Accounting Standardisation System in Portugal," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 28(4), pages 556-576, December.
    17. Gjerde, Øystein & Knivsflå, Kjell & Sættem, Frode, 2008. "The value-relevance of adopting IFRS: Evidence from 145 NGAAP restatements," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 92-112.
    18. Hongwen Han & Jiali Jenna Tang & Qingquan Tang, 2021. "Goodwill Impairment, Securities Analysts, and Information Transparency," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(4), pages 767-799, August.
    19. Hahn, Sebastian, 2021. "The Role of Large Institutional Ownership on Goodwill Impairment under the SFAS 142 Regime," Junior Management Science (JUMS), Junior Management Science e. V., vol. 6(2), pages 408-423.
    20. Henry Jarva, 2009. "Do Firms Manage Fair Value Estimates? An Examination of SFAS 142 Goodwill Impairments," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(9-10), pages 1059-1086.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Goodwill; Goodwill impairment; SFAS 142; Value-relevance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

    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:spr:rvmgts:v:12:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s11846-016-0223-y. 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.