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Municipal financial reporting and competition among underwriters for new issues of general obligation bonds

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  • EARL R. WILSON
  • JENICE P. STEWART

Abstract

. This study develops and tests the hypothesis that the quality and quantity of municipal financial information are positively associated with increased competition in the primary market for new issues of general obligation bonds. A measure of market competition, the number of underwriter bids tendered, is regressed on several market†related and issue†specific control variables and a group of financial reporting test variables. A sample of 224 new issues of municipal general obligation bonds sold by competitive bid between 1978 and 1983 is examined. The results generally support the hypothesis. Employment of an independent CPA firm auditor and more extensive disclosure increase competition, as expected. However, no support was found for the argument that holding a Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Conformance increases the level of underwriter competition. Résumé. Les auteurs établissent et vérifient l'hypothèse selon laquelle la qualité et la quantité d'information financière municipale sont en relation positive avec l'augmentation de la concurrence sur le marché primaire pour les nouvelles émissions d'obligations générales. Une mesure de la concurrence sur le marché, soit le nombre d'offres de preneurs ferme, est soumise à une analyse de régression basée sur plusieurs variables de contrôle reliées au marché et particulières à l'émission et sur un groupe de variables†tests reliées à l'information financière. Les auteurs examinent un échantillon de 224 nouvelles émissions d'obligations municipales générales vendues par soumission concurrentielle entre 1978 et 1983. Les résultats obtenus corroborent de façon générale l'hypothèse posée. Le recours à un vérificateur d'un cabinet de CPA indépendant et la publication d'informations plus étendues accentuent la concurrence, comme prévu. Cependant, rien ne confirme l'hypothèse selon laquelle la détention d'un Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Conformance intensifie le degré de concurrence chez les preneurs ferme.

Suggested Citation

  • Earl R. Wilson & Jenice P. Stewart, 1990. "Municipal financial reporting and competition among underwriters for new issues of general obligation bonds," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 6(2), pages 573-592, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:coacre:v:6:y:1990:i:2:p:573-592
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1911-3846.1990.tb00776.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stigler, George J., 2011. "Economics of Information," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 5, pages 35-49.
    2. Wilson, Er & Howard, Tp, 1984. "The Association Between Municipal Market Measures And Selected Financial-Reporting Practices - Additional Evidence," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(1), pages 207-224.
    3. Hastie, K. Larry, 1972. "Determinants of Municipal Bond Yields," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 7(3), pages 1729-1748, June.
    4. Kessel, Reuben, 1971. "A Study of the Effects of Competition in the Tax-exempt Bond Market," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 79(4), pages 706-738, July-Aug..
    5. Evans, John III & Patton, James M., 1983. "An economic analysis of participation in the municipal finance officers association certificate of conformance program," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 151-175, April.
    6. Benson, Earl D, 1979. "The Search for Information by Underwriters and Its Impact on Municipal Interest Cost," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 34(4), pages 871-885, September.
    7. Ingram, Rw & Copeland, Rm, 1982. "Municipal Market Measures And Reporting Practices - An Extension," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(2), pages 766-772.
    8. West, Richard R., 1967. "Determinants of Underwriters' Spreads on Tax Exempt Bond Issues*," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(3), pages 241-263, September.
    9. Wallace, Wa, 1981. "The Association Between Municipal Market Measures And Selected Financial-Reporting Practices," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(2), pages 502-520.
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    11. Higgins, W. W. & Moore, B. J., 1980. "Market Structure versus Information Costs as Determinants of Underwriters' Spreads on Municipal Bonds," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(1), pages 85-97, March.
    12. Earl D. Benson, 1982. "The Dispersion Of Bids On Individual New Municipal Issues," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 5(3), pages 207-219, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Brooks, Robert, 1999. "Municipal bonds: a contingent claims perspective," Financial Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 71-85.

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