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Firm Size and the Information Content of Annual Earnings Announcements: Australian Evidence

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  • Howard Chan
  • Robert Faff
  • Alan Ramsay

Abstract

We investigate the effect of firm size on the market's short‐window response to annual earnings announcements for a large sample of Australian listed companies. Our research design involves regressions of unexpected earnings against unexpected returns. Non‐linearity in the returns‐earnings relationship is incorporated and other factors known to affect the response to earnings announcements are controlled for. Contrary to prior US research, our results show that firm size has either no effect on the response to earnings announcements (3 day window) or the response is significantly stronger for larger firms (twenty‐one day window). The information content of earnings announcements is present across firm size categories but the nature of the response differs with firm size and context.

Suggested Citation

  • Howard Chan & Robert Faff & Alan Ramsay, 2005. "Firm Size and the Information Content of Annual Earnings Announcements: Australian Evidence," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1‐2), pages 211-253, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jbfnac:v:32:y:2005:i:1-2:p:211-253
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0306-686X.2005.00593.x
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    3. Voeller, Dennis & Overesch, Michael, 2008. "The Impact of Personal and Corporate Taxation on Capital Structure Choices," ZEW Discussion Papers 08-020, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    4. Fossen, Frank & Simmler, Martin, 2012. "Differential taxation and firms' financial leverage: Evidence from the introduction of a flat tax on interest income," Discussion Papers 2012/4, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
    5. Fossen, Frank M. & Simmler, Martin, 2016. "Personal Taxation of Capital Income and the Financial Leverage of Firms," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 23(1), pages 48-81.
    6. Bergsma, Kelley & Tayal, Jitendra, 2020. "Quarterly earnings announcements and intra-industry information transfer from the Pacific to the Atlantic," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).

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