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Non-GAAP earnings disclosures around regulation G – The case of “implicit non-GAAP reporting”

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  • Thielemann, Felix
  • Dinh, Tami

Abstract

We identify a phenomenon related to non-GAAP earnings disclosure and examine its prevalence around Regulation G (RegG). Specifically, we analyze to what extent firms only disclose adjustments to GAAP earnings instead of entire adjusted earnings figures thereby not providing the ideal non-GAAP to GAAP reconciliation promoted by RegG. We refer to this reporting behavior as “implicit non-GAAP reporting” and ask three different questions: How is “implicit non-GAAP reporting” related with the adoption of RegG? What type of firm reports implicit non-GAAP measures? What are the motives for “implicit non-GAAP reporting” post-RegG? Our analyses yield three key findings. First, the frequency of “implicit non-GAAP reporting” spikes after the regulatory intervention but to a lesser degree also existed before. Second, during the post-RegG time period, the prevalence of “implicit non-GAAP reporting” is much higher among firms who only started to report non-GAAP earnings after RegG was enacted (starters) than among those, which continued to disclose non-GAAP earnings across the regulatory intervention (continuers). Third, we show that only for starters, “implicit non-GAAP reporting” is associated with motives of beating analyst earnings forecasts as well as experiencing GAAP losses. Our study provides important insights for regulators, firms and academics into "implicit non-GAAP reporting" by examining properties and determinants of implicit vs. explicit non-GAAP earnings for different types of firms around RegG.

Suggested Citation

  • Thielemann, Felix & Dinh, Tami, 2019. "Non-GAAP earnings disclosures around regulation G – The case of “implicit non-GAAP reporting”," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 1-1.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:advacc:v:46:y:2019:i:c:011
    DOI: 10.1016/j.adiac.2019.100432
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas D?Angelo & Marco Lam & Samir El-Gazzar & Rudolph Jacob, 2022. "GAAP-compliant versus non-GAAP voluntary disclosures relative to critical reporting dates," FINANCIAL REPORTING, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2022(1), pages 5-40.
    2. Shiah-Hou, Shin-Rong, 2021. "The relation between non-GAAP earnings and accounting restatements: Evidence after regulation G," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Non-GAAP earnings; Regulation G; Safe harbour; Implicit non-GAAP reporting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • M48 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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