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Should Intangibles Be Measured: What Are the Economic Trade‐Offs?

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  • CHANDRA KANODIA
  • HARESH SAPRA
  • RAGHU VENUGOPALAN

Abstract

We investigate whether a firm's intangible investments should be measured and separated from operating expenses. We find that the information extracted from accounting reports of investments and earnings is different when intangibles are measured and identified separately from operating expenses than when intangibles are left commingled with operating expenses. This difference in the market's information causes a change in the behavior of market prices, inducing changes in the firm's investments and cash flows. Thus, from a real effects perspective, measuring intangibles is not unambiguously desirable. We identify the conditions under which providing information on intangibles may be desirable. This study also shows the inadequacy of statistical associations between accounting numbers and prices as a basis for evaluating the desirability of measuring intangible investments. We show that the measurement of intangibles alters the very distribution of cash flows about which the measurement regime is seeking to provide information.

Suggested Citation

  • Chandra Kanodia & Haresh Sapra & Raghu Venugopalan, 2004. "Should Intangibles Be Measured: What Are the Economic Trade‐Offs?," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(1), pages 89-120, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:joares:v:42:y:2004:i:1:p:89-120
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-679X.2004.00130.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Alfredo Martín-Oliver & Vicente Salas-Fumas, 2007. "How do intangible assets create economic value? an application to banks," Working Papers 0730, Banco de España.
    2. Elchanan Ben-Porath & Eddie Dekel & Barton L Lipman, 2018. "Disclosure and Choice," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 85(3), pages 1471-1501.
    3. Jung Ho Choi, 2021. "Accrual Accounting and Resource Allocation: A General Equilibrium Analysis," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 1179-1219, September.
    4. Christian Leuz, 2018. "Evidence-based policymaking: promise, challenges and opportunities for accounting and financial markets research," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(5), pages 582-608, July.
    5. Dye, Ronald A. & Sridhar, Sri S., 2008. "A positive theory of flexibility in accounting standards," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(2-3), pages 312-333, December.
    6. Chandra Kanodia & Haresh Sapra, 2016. "A Real Effects Perspective to Accounting Measurement and Disclosure: Implications and Insights for Future Research," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 623-676, May.
    7. R. G. Walker, 2009. "Discussion of Lev, Radhakrishnan and Zhang," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 45(3), pages 299-311, September.
    8. repec:dau:papers:123456789/9228 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Jeremy Bertomeu & Edwige Cheynel, 2016. "Disclosure and the Cost of Capital: A Survey of the Theoretical Literature," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 52(2), pages 221-258, June.
    10. P. Astolfi & Luc Paugam & Olivier Ramond, 2012. "Purchase Price Allocations: Do they Matter?," Post-Print hal-00934973, HAL.
    11. Palea, Vera, 2015. "The political economy of fair value reporting and the governance of the standards-setting process: Critical issues and pitfalls from a continental European union perspective," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 1-15.
    12. Joseph P.H. Fan & Feng Guan & Zengquan Li & Yong George Yang, 2014. "Relationship Networks and Earnings Informativeness: Evidence from Corruption Cases," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(7-8), pages 831-866, September.
    13. Pierre Astolfi & Luc Paugam & Olivier Ramond, 2012. "Purchase Price Allocations: Do they Matter?," Post-Print halshs-00671611, HAL.
    14. Pingyang Gao & Pierre Jinghong Liang, 2013. "Informational Feedback, Adverse Selection, and Optimal Disclosure Policy," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(5), pages 1133-1158, December.
    15. Eric Floyd & John A. List, 2016. "Using Field Experiments in Accounting and Finance," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 437-475, May.
    16. Regier, Matthias & Rouen, Ethan, 2023. "The stock market valuation of human capital creation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    17. Robinson, Leslie A. & Sansing, Richard, 2008. "The effect of "invisible" tax preferences on investment and tax preference measures," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(2-3), pages 389-404, December.
    18. Frank Gigler & Chandra Kanodia & Haresh Sapra & Raghu Venugopalan, 2014. "How Frequent Financial Reporting Can Cause Managerial Short‐Termism: An Analysis of the Costs and Benefits of Increasing Reporting Frequency," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(2), pages 357-387, May.
    19. Luminita Enache & Anup Srivastava, 2018. "Should Intangible Investments Be Reported Separately or Commingled with Operating Expenses? New Evidence," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 64(7), pages 3446-3468, July.
    20. Paugam, Luc, 2011. "Valorisation et reporting du goodwill : enjeux théoriques et empiriques," Economics Thesis from University Paris Dauphine, Paris Dauphine University, number 123456789/8007 edited by Casta, Jean-François.
    21. Richard Lambert & Christian Leuz & Robert E. Verrecchia, 2007. "Accounting Information, Disclosure, and the Cost of Capital," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 385-420, May.
    22. Cascino, Stefano, 2018. "Bridging financial reporting research and policy: a discussion of “the impact of accounting standards on pension investment decisions”," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 90194, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    23. Lähtinen, Katja & Toppinen, Anne, 2008. "Financial performance in Finnish large- and medium-sized sawmills: The effects of value-added creation and cost-efficiency seeking," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 289-305, November.
    24. Gao, Pingyang, 2008. "Disclosure Quality, Cost of Capital, and Investors’ Welfare," MPRA Paper 9478, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Jun 2008.
    25. Luc Paugam & Pierre Astolfi & Olivier Ramond, 2015. "Accounting for business combinations: Do purchase price allocations matter?," Post-Print hal-01277376, HAL.

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