Sec Scrutiny and the Evolution of Non-Gaap Reporting
The Accounting Review, Vol. 83, No. 1, pp. 157-184, 2008
45 Pages Posted: 3 Jan 2007 Last revised: 10 Mar 2010
There are 2 versions of this paper
Sec Scrutiny and the Evolution of Non-Gaap Reporting
SEC Scrutiny and the Evolution of Non-GAAP Reporting
Date Written: January 1, 2007
Abstract
We empirically examine the effects of intensified scrutiny over non-GAAP reporting on the quality of non-GAAP earnings exclusions. We find that, on average, exclusions are of higher quality (i.e., more transitory) following intervention by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) into non-GAAP reporting. We further find that firms that stopped releasing non-GAAP earnings numbers after the SEC intervention had lower quality exclusions in the pre-intervention period. These results are consistent with the SEC's objectives of improving the quality of non-GAAP earnings figures. However, when we decompose total exclusions into special items and other exclusions, we find evidence that the quality of special items has decreased in the post-intervention period, which suggests that managers adapted to the new disclosure environment by shifting more recurring expenses into special items. This suggests that there may be unintended consequences arising from the heightened scrutiny over non-GAAP reporting.
Keywords: Non-GAAP Earnings, Street Earnings, Pro Forma Earnings, Regulation G, Sarbanes-Oxley
JEL Classification: M41, M43, M45, G38
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
Gaap Versus the Street: An Empirical Assessment of Two Alternative Definitions of Earnings
By Mark T Bradshaw, Matthew Moberg, ...
-
The Predictive Value of Expenses Excluded from 'Pro Forma' Earnings
By Jeffrey T. Doyle, Russell J. Lundholm, ...
-
By Neil Bhattacharya, Ervin L. Black, ...
-
Earnings Quality and Strategic Disclosure: An Empirical Examination of 'Pro Forma' Earnings
-
Analysts' Treatment of Nonrecurring Items in Street Earnings
By Zhaoyang Gu and Ting Chen
-
Comparing the Value Relevance of Two Operating Income Measures
-
By Robert M. Bowen, Angela K. Davis, ...
-
Differences in Commercial Database Reported Earnings: Implications for Empirical Research
-
Who Trades on Pro Forma Earnings Information?
By Neil Bhattacharya, Ervin L. Black, ...