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Pension disclosures under SFAS No. 87: Theory and evidence

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  • THOMAS W. SCOTT

Abstract

. This study analyzes the choices made by 279 firms in response to the opportunity to adopt the new pension accounting standard. Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 87, in 1986 rather than 1987. It tests the influence of political and agency variables and three income†related variables on this accounting choice. The political variables, management compensation contracts, the magnitude of the income effect of adoption, whether the firm was a “bath†firm, and the earnings position of the firm relative to the prior year are all associated with the adoption choice. These results are analyzed further by considering specific debt covenants and by exploring alternate interpretations of the meaning of the change in earnings variable by assessing interactions between it and the political and agency variables. Résumé. L'auteur analyse les choix faits par 279 entreprises par suite de l'option qui leur était offerte d'adopter la nouvelle norme de comptabilisation des régimes de retraite. Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 87, en 1986 plutôt qu'en 1987. Il vérifie l'influence des variables politiques et des variables mandant†mandataire, ainsi que de trois variables se rattachant aux bénéfices, sur ce choix comptable. Chacun des facteurs suivants est associé à l'option d'adoption: variables politiques, contrats de rénumération des cadres, ampleur des conséquences de l'adoption sur les bénéfices, occasion de flambée des bénéfices et bénéfices de l'entreprise par rapport aux bénéfices de l'exercice précédent. Ces résultats font l'objet d'une analyse plus poussée dans laquelle l'auteur tient compte de clauses restrictives particulières et explore d'autres interprétations de la signification de la fluctuation de la variable des bénéfices en évaluant les interactions entre cette fluctuation et les variables politiques ainsi que les variables mandant†mandataire.

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  • Thomas W. Scott, 1991. "Pension disclosures under SFAS No. 87: Theory and evidence," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(1), pages 62-81, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:coacre:v:8:y:1991:i:1:p:62-81
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1911-3846.1991.tb00834.x
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    2. Khadija S. Almaghrabi & Kwaku Opong & Ioannis Tsalavoutas, 2021. "Compliance with pension‐related mandatory disclosures and debt financing," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1-2), pages 148-184, January.
    3. Heibatollah Sami & Mary Jeanne Welsh, 1992. "Characteristics of early and late adopters of pension accounting standard SFAS No. 87," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 9(1), pages 212-236, September.
    4. Araceli Mora & William Rees, 1998. "The early adoption of consolidated accounting in Spain," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(4), pages 675-696.
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    6. Martin Glaum & Tobias Keller & Donna L. Street, 2018. "Discretionary accounting choices: the case of IAS 19 pension accounting," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(2), pages 139-170, February.
    7. Gill-de-Albornoz, Belen & Illueca, Manuel, 2005. "Earnings management under price regulation: Empirical evidence from the Spanish electricity industry," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 279-304, March.
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    9. Takashi Obinata, 2000. "Choice of Pension Discount Rate in Financial Accounting adn Stock Prices," CIRJE F-Series CIRJE-F-82, CIRJE, Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo.
    10. Susana Callao & José Ignacio Jarne, 2010. "Have IFRS Affected Earnings Management in the European Union?," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 159-189, December.

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