Value Relevance of FAS 157 Fair Value Hierarchy Information and the Impact of Corporate Governance Mechanisms
Posted: 10 Nov 2009
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Value Relevance of FAS 157 Fair Value Hierarchy Information and the Impact of Corporate Governance Mechanisms
Date Written: November 10, 2009
Abstract
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157 (FAS 157), Fair Value Measurements, prioritizes the source of information used in fair value measurements into three levels: (1) Level 1 (observable inputs from quoted prices in active markets), (2) Level 2 (indirectly observable inputs from quoted prices of comparable items in active markets, identical items in inactive markets, or other market-related information), and (3) Level 3 (unobservable, firm-generated inputs). Using quarterly reports of banking firms in 2008, we find that the value relevance of Level 1 and Level 2 fair values is greater than the value relevance of Level 3 fair values. In addition, we find evidence that the value relevance of fair values (especially Level 3 fair values) is greater for firms with strong corporate governance. Overall, our results support the relevance of fair value measurements under FAS 157, but weaker corporate governance mechanisms may reduce the relevance of these measures.
Keywords: FAS 157, Fair Value, Fair Value Hierarchy, Value Relevance, Corporate Governance
JEL Classification: M41, G34
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation