Bringing Leased Assets onto the Balance Sheet

44 Pages Posted: 21 Sep 2010 Last revised: 18 Mar 2014

See all articles by Kimberly Cornaggia

Kimberly Cornaggia

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Finance

Laurel Franzen

Loyola Marymount University

Timothy T. Simin

Pennsylvania State University

Date Written: June 15, 2013

Abstract

Pending changes in lease accounting standards will require firms to recognize obligations that have historically been kept off-balance-sheet (OBS). We examine the implications of this accounting treatment for a host of common risk and performance metrics. Conventional leverage, Z-Score, levered beta, return on capital and other asset utilization measures underestimate risk and overstate performance of firms relying heavily on OBS leasing. The distortion affects relative rankings as well as average levels and has increased over time. Proposed changes in reporting standards aim to mitigate future distortion, but necessitate adjustments for time-series comparisons. Under current reporting standards, investors, analysts, and researchers can estimate leased asset value and adjust accounting-based metrics to better reflect these fixed costs.

Keywords: Accounting performance, Capital structure, Financial risk, Lease financing, Off-Balance-Sheet, Risk metrics

JEL Classification: G32, M41, M48

Suggested Citation

Cornaggia, Kimberly and Franzen, Laurel and Simin, Timothy T., Bringing Leased Assets onto the Balance Sheet (June 15, 2013). Journal of Corporate Finance 22, 345-360., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1680077 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1680077

Kimberly Cornaggia

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Finance ( email )

306 Business Bldg
University Park, PA 16802
United States
814-865-2243 (Phone)
814-865-3362 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://directory.smeal.psu.edu/kjr15

Laurel Franzen (Contact Author)

Loyola Marymount University ( email )

7900 Loyola Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90045
United States

Timothy T. Simin

Pennsylvania State University ( email )

University Park, PA 16802
United States
814-865-3457 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://timsimin.net

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
1,239
Abstract Views
5,392
Rank
30,744
PlumX Metrics