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The Economic Consequences of IFRS: The Impact of IAS 32 on Preference Shares in the Netherlands

Author

Listed:
  • de Jong, A.
  • Rosellón, M.A.
  • Verwijmeren, P.

Abstract

The consequences of international accounting standards are likely to reach beyond the impact on financial statements. This paper demonstrates one of the economic implications of international standards. We focus on the impact of the IFRS regulation on preference shares (IAS 32) in the Netherlands. IAS 32 causes most preference shares to lose their classification as equity and these shares will hence be classified as liabilities. We document that for Dutch firms with preferred stock outstanding, the reclassification will on average increase the reported debt ratio by 35%. We find that 71% of the firms that are affected by IAS 32 buy back their preference shares or alter the specifications of the preference shares in such a way that the classification as equity can be maintained. The main determinant of the decision whether to give these consequences to IAS 32 is the magnitude of the impact of IAS 32 on a firm’s debt ratio. We conclude that IFRS does not only lead to a decrease in the use of financial instruments that otherwise would have added to the capital structure diversity, but also changes firms’ real capital structure.

Suggested Citation

  • de Jong, A. & Rosellón, M.A. & Verwijmeren, P., 2006. "The Economic Consequences of IFRS: The Impact of IAS 32 on Preference Shares in the Netherlands," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2006-021-F&A, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    • Handle: RePEc:ems:eureri:7688
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Lewis, Craig & Verwijmeren, Patrick, 2014. "Cash-settled convertible bonds and the value relevance of their accounting treatment," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 101-111.
    2. Ulf Br&?ggemann & J?rg-Markus Hitz & Thorsten Sellhorn, 2013. "Intended and Unintended Consequences of Mandatory IFRS Adoption: A Review of Extant Evidence and Suggestions for Future Research," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 1-37, May.
    3. Shai Levi & Benjamin Segal & Dan Segal, 2021. "Does fiduciary duty to creditors reduce debt covenant violation avoidance behavior?," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(5-6), pages 929-953, May.
    4. Neil Fargher & Baljit K. Sidhu & Ann Tarca & Warrick van Zyl, 2019. "Accounting for financial instruments with characteristics of debt and equity: finding a way forward," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(1), pages 7-58, March.
    5. Andrea Melis & Silvia Carta, 2010. "Does accounting regulation enhance corporate governance? Evidence from the disclosure of share-based remuneration," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 14(4), pages 435-446, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Accounting Changes; Economic Consequences; IAS 32; IFRS; Magnitude Effect; Preference Shares;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

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