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Reclassification of Financial Assets under IAS 39: Impact on European Banks' Financial Statements

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  • Peter Fiechter

Abstract

In response to the financial crisis, the IASB issued on 13 October 2008 an amendment to IAS 39 which enables entities to reclassify non-derivative financial assets held for trading and financial assets available-for-sale. This paper examines the influence of this controversial amendment on the 2008 financial statements of 219 European banks which apply IFRS. I find that approximately one-third of the sample banks have taken extensive advantage of these reclassification opportunities. The mean reclassification amount is 3.9% of total assets and 131% of the book value of equity, respectively. I further document that reclassifying banks avoid substantial fair value losses, and hence, report significantly higher levels of return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), book value of equity and regulatory capital. In particular, the mean ROE switches sign from a negative ROE of −1.4% to a positive ROE of 1.3% due to gains from reclassifications. Overall, this paper documents a substantial impact of the amendments on banks' financial statements and suggests analysing these reclassifications with particular caution.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Fiechter, 2011. "Reclassification of Financial Assets under IAS 39: Impact on European Banks' Financial Statements," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 49-67, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:acceur:v:8:y:2011:i:1:p:49-67
    DOI: 10.1080/17449480.2011.574409
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    1. Nikolaos Eriotis & Theodoros Kounadeas & Dimitrios Vasiliou, 2019. "From IAS 39 To IFRS 9: Literature Review of Studies on the Implementation of IFRS in the European Banking Sector," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 9(3-4), pages 29-51.
    2. Kirsten Schmidt & Felix Noth & Lena Tonzer, 2022. "A Note of Caution on Quantifying Banks' Recapitalization Effects," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 54(4), pages 1123-1133, June.
    3. Cho, Hyungjin & Chung, Ju Ryum & Kim, Young Jun, 2021. "Fixed asset revaluation and external financing during the financial crisis: Evidence from Korea," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    4. Onali, Enrico & Ginesti, Gianluca, 2015. "New Accounting Rules for Loan Loss Provisions in Europe: Much Ado about Nothing?," MPRA Paper 64266, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 10 May 2015.
    5. Viral V. Acharya & Stephen G. Ryan, 2016. "Banks’ Financial Reporting and Financial System Stability," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 277-340, May.
    6. Argimón, Isabel & Dietsch, Michel & Estrada, Ángel, 2018. "Prudential filters, portfolio composition at fair value and capital ratios in European banks," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 187-208.
    7. Kun Jiang & Susheng Wang, 2024. "Survival tactics for distressed firms in emerging markets," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 823-866, June.
    8. Peter Fiechter & Wayne R. Landsman & Kenneth Peasnell & Annelies Renders, 2017. "The IFRS option to reclassify financial assets out of fair value in 2008: the roles played by regulatory capital and too-important-to-fail status," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1698-1731, December.
    9. Palea, Vera & Biancone, Paolo Pietro, 2017. "Which Accounting Rules for Economic and Social Sustainable Development? Engaging Critically with IFRS Adoption in the EU," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201733, University of Turin.
    10. Giuseppe Sannino & Gianluca Ginesti & Carlo Drago, 2014. "Impairment estimates for available-for-sale equity instruments under IFRS: evidence from italian Banks," FINANCIAL REPORTING, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2014(2-3-4), pages 115-140.
    11. Isabel Argimón & Ángel Estrada & Michel Dietsch, 2015. "Prudential filters, portfolio composition and capital ratios in european banks," Working Papers 1538, Banco de España.
    12. repec:hum:wpaper:sfb649dp2012-010 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Palea, Vera, 2018. "Financial reporting for sustainable development: Critical insights into IFRS implementation in the European Union," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 248-260.
    14. Jincheol Bae & Jaehong Lee & Eunsoo Kim, 2019. "Does Fixed Asset Revaluation Build Trust between Management and Investors?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-22, July.
    15. Palea, Vera, 2019. "Accounting for Sustainable Finance: Does Fair value Accounting Fit for Long-term Investing in Equity?," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201912, University of Turin.
    16. Asmaul Husna & Ibnu Satria, 2019. "Effects of Return on Asset, Debt to Asset Ratio, Current Ratio, Firm Size, and Dividend Payout Ratio on Firm Value," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 9(5), pages 50-54.
    17. Rene Johannes & Dedy Dedy & Abdullah Muksin, 2018. "The Preparation of Banking Industry in Implementing IFRS 9 Financial Instruments (A Case Study of HSBC Holdings Plc Listed on London Stock Exchange of Year 2015 2017)," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 8(6), pages 124-136.
    18. Bischof, Jannis & Brüggemann, Ulf & Daske, Holger, 2012. "Fair value reclassifications of financial assets during the financial crisis," SFB 649 Discussion Papers 2012-010, Humboldt University Berlin, Collaborative Research Center 649: Economic Risk.

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