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On the intertemporal value relevance of conventional financial accounting in Australia

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  • Mark Brimble
  • Allan Hodgson

Abstract

This paper examines whether the relevance of conventional (earnings focused) accounting information for valuation has declined in Australia over a recent period of 28 years. Motivation is provided by the anecdotal concerns of financial analysts, accounting regulators, and a cluster of US centric academic research papers that conclude that the relevance of financial accounting (and earnings in particular) has declined over time. After controlling for nonlinearities and stock price inefficiencies, we find that the value relevance of core accounting earnings has not declined. A possible exception is found for small stocks. We also observe that net book values are relatively less important in Australia when compared to the USA. Our results are informative for investors who require feedback on valuation issues and the International Accounting Standards Board regulators in any further moves towards a balance sheet focus.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Brimble & Allan Hodgson, 2007. "On the intertemporal value relevance of conventional financial accounting in Australia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 47(4), pages 599-622, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:47:y:2007:i:4:p:599-622
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-629X.2007.00241.x
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    Cited by:

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    2. Kuo, Chen-Yin, 2016. "Does the vector error correction model perform better than others in forecasting stock price? An application of residual income valuation theory," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 52(PB), pages 772-789.
    3. Pinar OKAN GOKTEN & Furkan BASER & Soner GOKTEN, 2017. "Using fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm in financial health scoring," The Audit Financiar journal, Chamber of Financial Auditors of Romania, vol. 15(147), pages 385-385.
    4. Juana Aledo Martínez & Juan Manuel García Lara & María T. González Pérez & Christos A. Grambovas, 2020. "An empirical assessment of proposed solutions for resolving scale problems in value relevance accounting research," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(4), pages 3905-3933, December.
    5. Victoria J. Clout & Roger Willett & Tom Smith, 2016. "Analysing the market–book value relation in large Australian and US firms: implications for fundamental analysis and the market–book ratio," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 56(4), pages 1017-1040, December.
    6. Meena Bhatia & Mwila J. Mulenga, 2019. "Value Relevance of Accounting Information: A Review of Empirical Evidence Across Continents," Jindal Journal of Business Research, , vol. 8(2), pages 179-193, December.
    7. Veith, Stefan & Werner, Jörg R., 2014. "Comparative Value Relevance Studies: Country Differences Versus Specification Effects," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 301-330.
    8. Wen He & Ki Hoon Hong & Eliza Wu, 2020. "Does Investor Sentiment Affect the Value Relevance of Accounting Information?," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 56(4), pages 535-560, December.
    9. Cheng Lai & Meiting Lu & Yaowen Shan, 2013. "Has Australian financial reporting become more conservative over time?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 53(3), pages 731-761, September.
    10. Manganaris, Panayotis & Spathis, Charalambos & Dasilas, Apostolos, 2015. "The effects of mandatory IFRS adoption and conditional conservatism on European bank values," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 72-81.
    11. Tahat, Yasean A. & Alhadab, Mohammad, 2017. "Have accounting numbers lost their value relevance during the recent financial credit crisis?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 182-191.
    12. Okuns Omokhoje Omokhudu & Peter Okoeguale Ibadin, 2015. "The Value Relevance of Accounting Information: Evidence from Nigeria," Accounting and Finance Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 4(3), pages 1-20, August.
    13. Abdulrahman Alomair & Alan Farley & Helen Hong Yang, 2022. "The impact of IFRS adoption on the value relevance of accounting information in Saudi Arabia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 2839-2878, June.
    14. Shruti, R. & Thenmozhi, M., 2023. "Founder ownership and value relevance of IFRS convergence: Role of institutional investors," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

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