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Determinants of Corporate Financial Disclosure in an Unregulated Environment: Evidence from the Early 20th Century

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  • Wouter Van Overfelt
  • Marc Deloof
  • Ann Vanstraelen

Abstract

We investigate the determinants of corporate financial reporting in an unregulated setting. Prior to the First World War, limited liability companies in Belgium were obliged to publish financial statements, but financial reporting was virtually unregulated. Investor protection was generally very poor. Nevertheless, Belgian stock markets were booming. While the amount of information disclosed in the financial statements was generally low relative to the current levels of disclosure, there was significant variation in financial reporting across firms. Our results suggest that financial reporting was significantly affected by universal bank affiliations, bond financing and stock returns. Dividends were a substitute for income statement transparency.

Suggested Citation

  • Wouter Van Overfelt & Marc Deloof & Ann Vanstraelen, 2010. "Determinants of Corporate Financial Disclosure in an Unregulated Environment: Evidence from the Early 20th Century," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(1), pages 7-34.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:euract:v:19:y:2010:i:1:p:7-34
    DOI: 10.1080/09638180902731539
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Stefano Ugolini, 2021. "The coevolution of banks and corporate securities markets: The financing of Belgium’s industrial take-off in the 1830s," Business History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 63(6), pages 892-913, August.
    2. 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.
    3. Deloof, Marc & Vermoesen, Veronique, 2016. "The value of corporate boards during the Great Depression in Belgium," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 108-123.
    4. Brad Potter & Matthew Pinnuck & George Tanewski & Sue Wright, 2019. "Keeping it private: financial reporting by large proprietary companies in Australia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(1), pages 87-113, March.
    5. Andy Lardon & Marc Deloof, 2014. "Financial disclosure by SMEs listed on a semi-regulated market: evidence from the Euronext Free Market," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 361-385, February.
    6. Stefanie Ceustermans & Diane Breesch & Joël Branson, 2017. "Voluntary Disclosure of Sales and the Extent of Trade Credit in Small Private Companies," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 388-406, September.
    7. Marco Trombetta & Alfred Wagenhofer & Peter Wysocki, 2012. "The Usefulness of Academic Research in Understanding the Effects of Accounting Standards," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2), pages 127-146, December.
    8. Moortgat, Leentje & Annaert, Jan & Deloof, Marc, 2017. "Investor protection, taxation and dividend policy: Long-run evidence, 1838–2012," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 113-131.
    9. Gram, Dennis & Karapanagiotis, Pantelis & Krzyzanowski, Jan & Liebald, Marius & Walz, Uwe, 2021. "An extensible model for historical financial data with an application to German company and stock market data," SAFE Working Paper Series 300, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
    10. Luzi Hail & Ahmed Tahoun & Clare Wang, 2017. "Corporate Scandals and Regulation," Working Papers Series 71, Institute for New Economic Thinking.
    11. Luzi Hail & Ahmed Tahoun & Clare Wang, 2018. "Corporate Scandals and Regulation," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(2), pages 617-671, May.

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