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A simple structural estimator of disclosure costs

Author

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  • E. Cheynel

    (University of California San Diego)

  • M. Liu-Watts

    (Hunter College CUNY)

Abstract

This study recovers a simple firm-level measure of disclosure costs implied by the voluntary disclosure theory of Verrecchia (Journal of Accounting and Economics 12(4), 365–380, 1990). The measure does not require knowledge by the researcher of the distribution of private information and can be implemented with three simple observable inputs: the minimum, average, and frequency of disclosure. We document a positive association of disclosure costs with proxies for existing and potential competition, information asymmetry, and insider trading. Higher values of disclosure costs are associated with lower contemporaneous and future disclosures as well as lower propensity to disclose in holdout samples. Overall, we provide future researchers with an easy-to-implement procedure to structurally estimate unobserved firm-level disclosure costs.

Suggested Citation

  • E. Cheynel & M. Liu-Watts, 2020. "A simple structural estimator of disclosure costs," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 201-245, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:reaccs:v:25:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s11142-019-09511-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s11142-019-09511-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Ewens, Michael & Xiao, Kairong & Xu, Ting, 2020. "Regulatory Costs of Being Public: Evidence from Bunching Estimation," SocArXiv pdv8n, Center for Open Science.
    2. Jeremy Bertomeu & Edwige Cheynel & Edward Xuejun Li & Ying Liang, 2021. "How Pervasive Is Earnings Management? Evidence from a Structural Model," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(8), pages 5145-5162, August.
    3. Frank S. Zhou, 2021. "Disclosure Dynamics and Investor Learning," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(6), pages 3429-3446, June.
    4. Bertomeu, Jeremy & Marinovic, Iván & Terry, Stephen J. & Varas, Felipe, 2022. "The dynamics of concealment," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(1), pages 227-246.
    5. Jung Min Kim & Daniel J. Taylor & Robert E. Verrecchia, 2021. "Voluntary disclosure when private information and disclosure costs are jointly determined," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 971-1001, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Voluntary disclosures; Disclosure costs; Proprietary costs; Structural estimation; Management forecasts;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • M4 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting

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