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Informational Content and Assurance of Textual Disclosures: Evidence on Integrated Reporting

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  • Ariela Caglio
  • Gaia Melloni
  • Paolo Perego

Abstract

This paper examines the economic benefits associated with textual attributes and the external assurance of integrated reporting (IR), an innovative form of corporate disclosure that connects financial and environmental, social and governance (ESG) information in a single report. We investigate the setting of South Africa, where IR has been mandatory since 2010 for listed companies. We find that IR readability is associated with a higher market valuation, conciseness with higher stock liquidity and tone bias with less dispersed analysts’ estimates. Results suggest that market participants appreciate IRs that are readable, short and focused, as well as hint at tone management strategies targeting analysts. We also show that assurance on IR moderates the negative effects of poor textual attributes: if firms publish IRs that are difficult to read but assure them, this compensates for the negative influence of reading difficulty on a market value; if long IRs are assured, this dampens the negative effect of verbosity on liquidity; if firms assure IRs, analysts’ forecast dispersion is lower, therefore suggesting that assurance acts as a credibility-enhancing mechanism for external users. Finally, we show that textual attributes and assurance matter for broader audiences interested in the ESG dimensions of a firm’s performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Ariela Caglio & Gaia Melloni & Paolo Perego, 2020. "Informational Content and Assurance of Textual Disclosures: Evidence on Integrated Reporting," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(1), pages 55-83, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:euract:v:29:y:2020:i:1:p:55-83
    DOI: 10.1080/09638180.2019.1677486
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    Cited by:

    1. Narula, Radhika & Rao, Purnima & Kumar, Satish & Matta, Rahul, 2024. "ESG scores and firm performance- evidence from emerging market," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PA), pages 1170-1184.
    2. Thomas, Antonio & Scandurra, Giuseppe, 2023. "The transition toward sustainability of airport operators. Evidence from Italy," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    3. Stefania Veltri & Antonella Silvestri, 2020. "The value relevance of corporate financial and nonfinancial information provided by the integrated report: A systematic review," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3038-3054, December.
    4. Li‐Chun Kuo & Chia‐Lin Lee & Yun‐Ting Lee, 2022. "The impact of voluntary assurance of CSR reports on firms' operating performance: Evidence from Taiwan," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(8), pages 4041-4054, December.
    5. Elbardan, Hany & Uyar, Ali & Kuzey, Cemil & Karaman, Abdullah S., 2023. "CSR reporting, assurance, and firm value and risk: The moderating effects of CSR committees and executive compensation," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    6. Clacher, Iain & Garcia Osma, Beatriz & Scarlat, Elvira & Shields, Karin, 2021. "Do commonalities facilitate private information channels? Evidence from common gender and insider trading," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    7. Thilini Cooray & Samanthi Senaratne & A. D. Nuwan Gunarathne & Roshan Herath & Dileepa Samudrage, 2020. "Does Integrated Reporting Enhance the Value Relevance of Information? Evidence from Sri Lanka," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-25, October.
    8. Khan, Muhammad Arif, 2022. "ESG disclosure and Firm performance: A bibliometric and meta analysis," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    9. Wang, Haijun & Jiao, Shuaipeng & Ge, Chen & Sun, Guanglin, 2024. "Corporate ESG rating divergence and excess stock returns," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    10. Gallucci, Carmen & Santulli, Rosalia & Lagasio, Valentina, 2022. "The conceptualization of environmental, social and governance risks in portfolio studies A systematic literature review," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    11. José Navarrete-Oyarce & Juan Alejandro Gallegos & Hugo Moraga-Flores & José Luis Gallizo, 2021. "Integrated Reporting as an Academic Research Concept in the Area of Business," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-16, July.
    12. Maria Federica Izzo & Alberto Dello Strologo & Fabrizio Granà, 2020. "Learning from the Best: New Challenges and Trends in IR Reporters’ Disclosure and the Role of SDGs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-22, July.
    13. Ries Breijer & René P. Orij, 2022. "The Comparability of Non-Financial Information: An Exploration of the Impact of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD, 2014/95/EU)," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 332-361, May.
    14. Patrick Velte, 2022. "Archival research on integrated reporting: a systematic review of main drivers and the impact of integrated reporting on firm value," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(3), pages 997-1061, September.
    15. Charl de Villiers & Jing Jia & Zhongtian Li, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility: A review of empirical research using Thomson Reuters Asset4 data," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(4), pages 4523-4568, December.
    16. Mouzas, Stefanos & Bauer, Florian, 2022. "Rethinking business performance in global value chains," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 679-689.
    17. Hayder Jameel Ahmed & Asaad Mohammed Ali Wahhab, 2023. "Integration of IFRS and FN-IB Applications, as Well as Their Influence on the Value of Iraqi Banks," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 44(1), pages 103-123, June.
    18. Guo, Chunying & Yang, Baochen & Fan, Ying, 2022. "Does mandatory CSR disclosure improve stock price informativeness? Evidence from China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    19. Burak Pirgaip & Lamija Rizvić, 2023. "The Impact of Integrated Reporting on the Cost of Capital: Evidence from an Emerging Market," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-20, June.

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