IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jiaata/v49y2022ics1061951822000659.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Recognition of provisional goodwill: Real need or communication strategy?

Author

Listed:
  • Roncagliolo, Elisa
  • Avallone, Francesco

Abstract

This study draws attention to the recognition of goodwill on a provisional basis, as allowed by International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 3,“Business combinations”. We examine whether the provisional goodwill choice is motivated by market imperfections rather than the actual difficulty in the estimation of acquired assets and liabilities. We analyze a sample of business combinations concluded over the period 2014–2015 involving European companies and accounted for according to IFRS 3. Our findings suggest that the decision to account for goodwill on a provisional basis is due to the specific timing of the acquisition. In addition, the coexistence of stock market overvaluation and strong investor protection at the time of the merger and acquisition (M&A) announcement is a significant determinant of the provisional goodwill choice. Therefore, this study contributes to the current debate on accounting for goodwill as it highlights the relevance of the factors affecting the initial determination of the goodwill amount.

Suggested Citation

  • Roncagliolo, Elisa & Avallone, Francesco, 2022. "Recognition of provisional goodwill: Real need or communication strategy?," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jiaata:v:49:y:2022:i:c:s1061951822000659
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intaccaudtax.2022.100510
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1061951822000659
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.intaccaudtax.2022.100510?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mario Schijven & Michael A. Hitt, 2012. "The vicarious wisdom of crowds: toward a behavioral perspective on investor reactions to acquisition announcements," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(11), pages 1247-1268, November.
    2. Holthausen, Robert W., 1990. "Accounting method choice : Opportunistic behavior, efficient contracting, and information perspectives," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(1-3), pages 207-218, January.
    3. Gary K Meek & Clare B Roberts & Sidney J Gray, 1995. "Factors Influencing Voluntary Annual Report Disclosures By U.S., U.K. and Continental European Multinational Corporations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(3), pages 555-572, September.
    4. Pierre Astolfi & Luc Paugam & Olivier Ramond, 2015. "Accounting for business combinations: Do purchase price allocations matter?," Post-Print hal-01229940, HAL.
    5. La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert, 2000. "Investor protection and corporate governance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1-2), pages 3-27.
    6. Lapointe-Antunes, Pascale & Cormier, Denis & Magnan, Michel, 2009. "Value relevance and timeliness of transitional goodwill-impairment losses: Evidence from Canada," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 56-78, March.
    7. Paul Draper & Krishna Paudyal, 2008. "Information Asymmetry and Bidders' Gains," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3‐4), pages 376-405, April.
    8. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez‐De‐Silanes & Andrei Shleifer & Robert Vishny, 2002. "Investor Protection and Corporate Valuation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(3), pages 1147-1170, June.
    9. Graham, John R. & Harvey, Campbell R. & Rajgopal, Shiva, 2005. "The economic implications of corporate financial reporting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(1-3), pages 3-73, December.
    10. Paul Draper & Krishna Paudyal, 2008. "Information Asymmetry and Bidders' Gains," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3‐4), pages 376-405, April.
    11. Avallone, Francesco & Quagli, Alberto, 2015. "Insight into the variables used to manage the goodwill impairment test under IAS 36," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 107-114.
    12. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    13. Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W., 2003. "Stock market driven acquisitions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(3), pages 295-311, December.
    14. Anne Jeny & Luc Paugam & Pierre Astolfi, 2019. "The usefulness of intangible assets’ disclosure for financial analysts. Insights from Purchase Price Allocation conditional on deal quality," Post-Print hal-03712183, HAL.
    15. Bugeja, Martin & Loyeung, Anna, 2015. "What drives the allocation of the purchase price to goodwill?," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 245-261.
    16. Anne Jeny & Luc Paugam & Pierre Astolfi, 2019. "The usefulness of intangible assets’ disclosure for financial analysts. Insights from Purchase Price Allocation conditional on deal quality," ACCRA, Association francophone de comptabilité, vol. 25(2), pages 5-53.
    17. Begoña Giner & Francisca Pardo, 2015. "How Ethical are Managers’ Goodwill Impairment Decisions in Spanish-Listed Firms?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(1), pages 21-40, November.
    18. Marco Giuliani & Daniel Brännström, 2011. "Defining goodwill: a practice perspective," Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 9(2), pages 161-175, October.
    19. Leuz, Christian & Nanda, Dhananjay & Wysocki, Peter D., 2003. "Earnings management and investor protection: an international comparison," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(3), pages 505-527, September.
    20. Divesh S. Sharma & Jonathan Ho, 2002. "The Impact of Acquisitions on Operating Performance: Some Australian Evidence," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1‐2), pages 155-200.
    21. Dahmash, Firas N. & Durand, Robert B. & Watson, John, 2009. "The value relevance and reliability of reported goodwill and identifiable intangible assets," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 120-137.
    22. Roychowdhury, Sugata & Watts, Ross L., 2007. "Asymmetric timeliness of earnings, market-to-book and conservatism in financial reporting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(1-2), pages 2-31, September.
    23. Fields, Thomas D. & Lys, Thomas Z. & Vincent, Linda, 2001. "Empirical research on accounting choice," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-3), pages 255-307, September.
    24. Dynah A. Basuil & Deepak K. Datta, 2015. "Effects of Industry- and Region-Specific Acquisition Experience on Value Creation in Cross-Border Acquisitions: The Moderating Role of Cultural Similarity," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(6), pages 766-795, September.
    25. Holger Daske & Luzi Hail & Christian Leuz & Rodrigo Verdi, 2008. "Mandatory IFRS Reporting around the World: Early Evidence on the Economic Consequences," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(5), pages 1085-1142, December.
    26. Hamberg, Mattias & Beisland, Leif-Atle, 2014. "Changes in the value relevance of goodwill accounting following the adoption of IFRS 3," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 59-73.
    27. Holthausen, Robert W. & Leftwich, Richard W., 1983. "The economic consequences of accounting choice implications of costly contracting and monitoring," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 77-117, April.
    28. d'Arcy, Anne & Tarca, Ann, 2018. "Reviewing IFRS Goodwill Accounting Research: Implementation Effects and Cross-Country Differences," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 203-226.
    29. Reuer, Jeffrey J. & Ragozzino, Roberto, 2008. "Adverse selection and M&A design: The roles of alliances and IPOs," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 195-212, May.
    30. Detzen, Dominic & Zülch, Henning, 2012. "Executive compensation and goodwill recognition under IFRS: Evidence from European mergers," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 106-126.
    31. Olante, Maria Elena, 2013. "Overpaid acquisitions and goodwill impairment losses — Evidence from the US," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 243-254.
    32. Martin Bloom, 2009. "Accounting For Goodwill," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 45(3), pages 379-389, September.
    33. Henning, SL & Lewis, BL & Shaw, WH, 2000. "Valuation of the components of purchased goodwill," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 375-386.
    34. Watts, Ross L., 1992. "Accounting choice theory and market-based research in accounting," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 235-267.
    35. David R. King & Dan R. Dalton & Catherine M. Daily & Jeffrey G. Covin, 2004. "Meta‐analyses of post‐acquisition performance: indications of unidentified moderators," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(2), pages 187-200, February.
    36. repec:eme:maj000:02686900510570696 is not listed on IDEAS
    37. Paul André & Andrei Filip & Luc Paugam, 2016. "Examining the Patterns of Goodwill Impairments in Europe and the US," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 329-352, September.
    38. Anne Beatty & Joseph Weber, 2006. "Accounting Discretion in Fair Value Estimates: An Examination of SFAS 142 Goodwill Impairments," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(2), pages 257-288, May.
    39. Xu, Weihong, 2010. "Do management earnings forecasts incorporate information in accruals?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 227-246, April.
    40. Christian Petersen & Thomas Plenborg, 2010. "How Do Firms Implement Impairment Tests of Goodwill?," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 46(4), pages 419-446, December.
    41. Ron Shalev & Ivy Xiying Zhang & Yong Zhang, 2013. "CEO Compensation and Fair Value Accounting: Evidence from Purchase Price Allocation," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(4), pages 819-854, September.
    42. Li, Keming, 2020. "Does Information Asymmetry Impede Market Efficiency? Evidence from Analyst Coverage," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    43. Joseph Aharony & Ran Barniv & Haim Falk, 2010. "The Impact of Mandatory IFRS Adoption on Equity Valuation of Accounting Numbers for Security Investors in the EU," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 535-578.
    44. repec:dau:papers:123456789/14572 is not listed on IDEAS
    45. Divesh S. Sharma & Jonathan Ho, 2002. "The Impact of Acquisitions on Operating Performance: Some Australian Evidence," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1&2), pages 155-200.
    46. Diamond, Douglas W & Verrecchia, Robert E, 1991. "Disclosure, Liquidity, and the Cost of Capital," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 46(4), pages 1325-1359, September.
    47. Siougle, Georgia & Spyrou, Spyros I. & Tsekrekos, Andrianos E., 2014. "Conference calls around merger and acquisition announcements: Do they reduce information asymmetry? UK Evidence," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 148-172.
    48. Jayne Godfrey & Ping-Sheng Koh, 2001. "The Relevance to Firm Valuation of Capitalising Intangible Assets in Total and by Category," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 11(24), pages 39-48, July.
    49. Feliana Yie Ke & Tam Pham & Neil Fargher, 2004. "The Relevance to Firm Valuation of Capitalised Research and Development Expenditures," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 14(34), pages 72-76, November.
    50. Francis, J & Hanna, JD & Vincent, L, 1996. "Causes and effects of discretionary asset write-offs," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34, pages 117-134.
    51. Zhefeng Liu & Fayez Elayan, 2015. "Litigation risk, information asymmetry and conditional conservatism," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 44(4), pages 581-608, May.
    52. Jay B. Barney, 1988. "Returns to bidding firms in mergers and acquisitions: Reconsidering the relatedness hypothesis," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(S1), pages 71-78, June.
    53. Kevin K. Li & Richard G. Sloan, 2017. "Has goodwill accounting gone bad?," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 964-1003, June.
    54. Johansson, Sven-Erik & Hjelström, Tomas & Hellman, Niclas, 2016. "Accounting for goodwill under IFRS: A critical analysis," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 13-25.
    55. Khaled Al Jifri & David Citron, 2009. "The Value-Relevance of Financial Statement Recognition versus Note Disclosure: Evidence from Goodwill Accounting," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 123-140.
    56. Lev, Baruch & Sougiannis, Theodore, 1996. "The capitalization, amortization, and value-relevance of R&D," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 107-138, February.
    57. Mazzi, Francesco & Slack, Richard & Tsalavoutas, Ioannis, 2018. "The effect of corruption and culture on mandatory disclosure compliance levels: Goodwill reporting in Europe," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 52-73.
    58. Alberto Quagli, 2011. "Goodwill accounting as a missing link between financial and management accounting: literature review and research agenda," FINANCIAL REPORTING, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2011(Suppl. 3), pages 17-39.
    59. Ghosh, Aloke, 2001. "Does operating performance really improve following corporate acquisitions?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 7(2), pages 151-178, June.
    60. Healy, Paul M. & Palepu, Krishna G. & Ruback, Richard S., 1992. "Does corporate performance improve after mergers?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 135-175, April.
    61. Harbir Singh & Cynthia A. Montgomery, 1987. "Corporate acquisition strategies and economic performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(4), pages 377-386, July.
    62. Luc Paugam & Pierre Astolfi & Olivier Ramond, 2015. "Accounting for business combinations: Do purchase price allocations matter?," Post-Print hal-01277376, HAL.
    63. Healy, Paul M. & Palepu, Krishna G., 2001. "Information asymmetry, corporate disclosure, and the capital markets: A review of the empirical disclosure literature," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-3), pages 405-440, September.
    64. Martin Bugeja & Natalie Gallery, 2006. "Is older goodwill value relevant?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 46(4), pages 519-535, December.
    65. Anne Jeny & Luc Paugam & Pierre Astolfi, 2019. "The usefulness of intangible assets’ disclosure for financial analysts. Insights from Purchase Price Allocation conditional on deal quality," Comptabilité - Contrôle - Audit, Association francophone de comptabilité, vol. 25(2), pages 5-53.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bagna, Emanuel & Ramusino, Enrico Cotta & Ogliari, Matteo, 2023. "The impact of different goodwill accounting methods on stock prices: A comparison of amortization and impairment-only methodologies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    2. d'Arcy, Anne & Tarca, Ann, 2018. "Reviewing IFRS Goodwill Accounting Research: Implementation Effects and Cross-Country Differences," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 203-226.
    3. Alshehabi, Ahmad & Georgiou, George & Ala, Alessandro S., 2021. "Country-specific drivers of the value relevance of goodwill impairment losses," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    4. Iatridis, George, 2010. "International Financial Reporting Standards and the quality of financial statement information," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 193-204, June.
    5. Sunghee Ahn & Youngsoon S. Cheon & Moonchul Kim, 2020. "Determinants of initial goodwill overstatement in affiliated and non‐affiliated mergers," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(5-6), pages 587-614, May.
    6. Alain Schatt & Leonidas Doukakis & Corinne Bessieux-Ollier & Elisabeth Walliser, 2016. "Do Goodwill Impairments by European Firms Provide Useful Information to Investors?," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 307-327, September.
    7. Kothari, S.P. & Ramanna, Karthik & Skinner, Douglas J., 2010. "Implications for GAAP from an analysis of positive research in accounting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 246-286, December.
    8. Hongwen Han & Jiali Jenna Tang & Qingquan Tang, 2021. "Goodwill Impairment, Securities Analysts, and Information Transparency," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(4), pages 767-799, August.
    9. Nicola Giuseppe Castellano & Katia Corsi & Roberto Del Gobbo, 2015. "Goodwill Disclosure in Europe. Profiles of disclosing companies," Eastern European Business and Economics Journal, Eastern European Business and Economics Studies Centre, vol. 1(2), pages 32-65.
    10. repec:eeb:15v1n2:v:1:y:2015:i:2:p:32-65 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Atanasov, Atanas, 2019. "Репутацията Като Обект На Счетоводството: Признаване, Оценяване, Оповестяване [Goodwill as an accounting object: initial recognition, measurement, disclosure]," MPRA Paper 97938, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Yen, Tze-Yu & Andre, Paul, 2007. "Ownership structure and operating performance of acquiring firms: The case of English-origin countries," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 59(5), pages 380-405.
    13. Benjamin T. Albersmann & Reiner Quick, 2020. "The Impact of Audit Quality Indicators on the Timeliness of Goodwill Impairments: Evidence from the German Setting," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 56(1), pages 66-103, March.
    14. Iatridis, George Emmanuel & Pappas, Kostas & Walker, Martin, 2022. "Narrative disclosure quality and the timeliness of goodwill impairments," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(2).
    15. Hans B. Christensen & Luzi Hail & Christian Leuz, 2021. "Mandatory CSR and sustainability reporting: economic analysis and literature review," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 1176-1248, September.
    16. Klaus Möller & Ramin Gamerschlag & Finn Guenther, 2011. "Determinants and effects of human capital reporting and controlling," Metrika: International Journal for Theoretical and Applied Statistics, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 311-333, November.
    17. Encarna Guillamón-Saorín & Carlos M. P. Sousa, 2014. "Voluntary Disclosure of Press Releases and the Importance of Timing: A Comparative Study of the UK and Spain," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 71-106, February.
    18. Hamberg, Mattias & Beisland, Leif-Atle, 2014. "Changes in the value relevance of goodwill accounting following the adoption of IFRS 3," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 59-73.
    19. Mazzi, Francesco & Slack, Richard & Tsalavoutas, Ioannis, 2018. "The effect of corruption and culture on mandatory disclosure compliance levels: Goodwill reporting in Europe," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 52-73.
    20. Jonas Oliveira & Graça Azevedo & Bertina Oliveira, 2018. "Impairment Losses: The Impact of First‐time Adoption of the Accounting Standardisation System in Portugal," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 28(4), pages 556-576, December.
    21. Andrei Filip & Gerald J. Lobo & Luc Paugam, 2021. "Managerial discretion to delay the recognition of goodwill impairment: The role of enforcement," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1-2), pages 36-69, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jiaata:v:49:y:2022:i:c:s1061951822000659. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-international-accounting-auditing-and-taxation .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.