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Non-GAAP Reporting and Debt Market Outcomes: Evidence from Regulation G

Author

Listed:
  • Felix Thielemann

    (University of St.Gallen)

  • Tami Dinh

    (University of St.Gallen)

  • Helen Kang

    (UNSW Sydney)

Abstract

We exploit the introduction of Regulation G (RegG) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2003 to study the association between non-GAAP earnings disclosure and debt market outcomes. Specifically, we focus on a subset of 199 S&P 500 firms to analyse the association between non-GAAP earnings disclosure and long-term issuer credit ratings as well as bond spreads before and after the regulatory intervention. We find that post-RegG, correlation between non-GAAP earnings disclosure and bond spreads changes from positive to negative but do not document any change in its correlation with respect to credit ratings. Our study provides first evidence that post-RegG, bond investors, but not rating agencies, seem to view non-GAAP earnings disclosure favourably as part of their credit risk assessment. In practical terms, our results document a specific benefit of RegG and may inform the SEC that its goal of more accurate security pricing extends to the bond markets, which is an under-researched area in the context of non-GAAP regulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Felix Thielemann & Tami Dinh & Helen Kang, 2019. "Non-GAAP Reporting and Debt Market Outcomes: Evidence from Regulation G," Schmalenbach Business Review, Springer;Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft, vol. 71(2), pages 169-203, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:schmbr:v:71:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s41464-019-00074-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s41464-019-00074-x
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    1. 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.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Non-GAAP earnings; Credit ratings; Bond spreads; Regulation G;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • 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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