The Use of Strategic Performance Variables as Leading Indicators in Financial Analyst's Forecasts

29 Pages Posted: 2 Apr 1997

See all articles by Stephen J. Dempsey

Stephen J. Dempsey

University of Vermont - School of Business Administration

James F. Gatti

University of Vermont - School of Business Administration

D. Jacque Grinnell

University of Vermont (Deceased)

William L. Cats-Baril

University of Vermont

Date Written: February 3, 1997

Abstract

The emerging view among managers and academicians argues for an expanded reporting system to provide more comprehensive information about organizational performance, including internal strategic performance variables. Little systematically-gathered evidence is available, however, concerning the views of the analyst community on this matter. This paper reports the results of a survey of 420 senior investment officers, directors of research and financial analysts regarding the frequency of use, predictive value, and ease of acquisition of a variety of financial and non-financial performance measures. The patterns of use that emerge from the study paint a picture in which analysts go well beyond the traditional financial measures and use a broad range of strategic leading indicators to assess long-term organizational success. The results contribute to our understanding of (1) the extent to which analysts currently use or are interested in using various strategic performance variables in addition to traditional financial performance measures, (2) the linkage between the use of performance measures and their predictive value and ease of acquisition, and (3) the information gaps which currently exist between various measures predictive usefulness and external accessibility.

JEL Classification: G10

Suggested Citation

Dempsey, Stephen J. and Gatti, James F. and Grinnell, D. Jacque and Cats-Baril, William L., The Use of Strategic Performance Variables as Leading Indicators in Financial Analyst's Forecasts (February 3, 1997). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2346 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2346

Stephen J. Dempsey (Contact Author)

University of Vermont - School of Business Administration ( email )

Burlington, VT 05405
United States
802-656-8322 (Phone)
802-656-8279 (Fax)

James F. Gatti

University of Vermont - School of Business Administration ( email )

Burlington, VT 05405
United States
802-656-8298 (Phone)
802-656-8279 (Fax)

D. Jacque Grinnell

University of Vermont (Deceased)

William L. Cats-Baril

University of Vermont ( email )

212 Kalkin Hall
Burlington, VT 05405
United States
802-656-0510 (Phone)