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The Behaviour of Earnings, Accruals and Impairment Losses of Failed New Zealand Finance Companies

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  • M. Humayun Kabir
  • Fawzi Laswad

Abstract

type="main"> This study examines the behaviour of earnings, accruals and impairment losses of failed finance companies in New Zealand. It draws on conservatism in the development of research hypotheses about accounting variables that are likely to contain clues to future failures of finance companies. The hypotheses are tested by examining the trend of earnings after tax (EAT), accruals and impairment losses of 32 finance companies that failed from 2006 to 2011. Data were collected from the annual reports of the sampled companies and the first reports of receivers of failed companies. The study finds that EAT and accruals declined, and impairment losses increased significantly in the last two financial statements prior to failure, when compared with other years. This suggests that changes in EAT, accruals and impairment losses may provide indications of impending failure.

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  • M. Humayun Kabir & Fawzi Laswad, 2014. "The Behaviour of Earnings, Accruals and Impairment Losses of Failed New Zealand Finance Companies," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 24(3), pages 262-275, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausact:v:24:y:2014:i:3:p:262-275
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/auar.12028
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Douglas, Ella & Lont, David & Scott, Tom, 2014. "Finance company failure in New Zealand during 2006–2009: Predictable failures?," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(3), pages 277-295.
    2. Umair Bhutta & Jéssica Nunes Martins & Mário Nuno Mata & Ali Raza & Rui Miguel Dantas & Anabela Batista Correia & Muhammad Rafiq, 2021. "Intellectual Structure and Evolution of Accounting Conservatism Research: Past Trends and Future Research Suggestions," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-13, June.

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