Mark E. Zmijewski, Methodological Issues Related to the Estimation of Financial Distress Prediction Models, Journal of Accounting Research, Vol. 22, Studies on Current Econometric Issues in Accounting Research (1984), pp. 59-82

This paper is designed to provide additional evidence on the positive theory of accounting policy choice by combining individual accounting principles into firm income strategies. These strategies were the dependent variable in a probit analysis where the independent variables were size, management compensation, industry concentration ratio, systematic risk, capital intensity and the total debt to total asset ratio. The results indicate that four of these factors (size, management compensation, concentration ratio, and the total debt to total asset ratio) have a significant association with the choice of a firm's income strategy. This test provides strong evidence consistent with the positive theory of accounting standard setting/choice. We also present evidence that smaller firms and/or firms in less concentrated industries do not appear to make accounting policy choice decisions that are consistent with this theory.

Abstract. This paper empirically examines whether labor strikes affect the forecasting and information content of quarterly earnings numbers. We address two issues regarding financial analyst forecast (FAF) superiority: whether FAF superiority increases when a strike occurs and if so, whether the increase in FAF superiority is sustained immediately after the strike ends. We also examine two issues regarding information content: whether strikes affect the coefficient mapping unexpected earnings into stock prices and whether strikes affect the variance of stock price changes. We suggest that strikes affect both the forecasting and information content of quarterly earnings numbers. Résumé. Cet article examine de façon empirique si les grèves des travailleurs influencent la prévision et le contenu informatif des résultats trimestriels. Nous abordons deux questions relatives à la supériorité des prévisions d'analystes financiers (PAF): à savoir si la supériorité des PAF s'accroît lorsqu'une grève se produit et, dans l'affirmative, si l'accroissement de cette supériorité se maintient immédiatement après la fin de la grève. Nous étudions également deux questions relatives au contenu informatif: à savoir si les grèves influencent le coefficient incorporant l'impact des bénéfices imprévus sur le cours des actions et si les grèves affectent la variance des fluctuations du cours des actions. Les grèves affecteraient donc à la fois la prévision et le contenu informatif des résultats trimestriels.

Robert L. Hagerman, Mark E. Zmijewski, Pravin Shah, The Association between the Magnitude of Quarterly Earnings Forecast Errors and Risk-Adjusted Stock Returns, Journal of Accounting Research, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Autumn, 1984), pp. 526-540

Studies of the information content of accounting earnings typically assume earnings response coefficients do not vary across firms. Valuation models relating earnings to security prices, however, predict that earnings response coefficients are positively associated with revision coefficients (coefficients relating current earnings to future earnings) and negatively associated with expected rates of return. A random coefficient regression model provides evidence consistent with these predictions. This evidence has implications for interpreting multiple regression models that relate abnormal returns to unexpected earnings and other information variables.

Reporting lags, Squared market model prediction errors, Information content, SEC Filings

Andrew Alford, Jennifer Jones, Richard Leftwich, Mark Zmijewski, The Relative Informativeness of Accounting Disclosures in Different Countries, Journal of Accounting Research, Vol. 31, Studies on International Accounting (1993), pp. 183-223

We present evidence that 20 percent of the 10-Ks in our sample are filed with the SEC after the 90-day statutory due date. Firms that delay filing their 10-K are not a random sample of firms; up to 25 (10) percent of the firms experiencing unfavorable (favorable) economic events delay their 10-K. Firms that delay their 10-K are, on average, small, have negative accounting rates of return, negative earnings changes, low liquidity, and high financial leverage; they also experience negative market- adjusted stock returns.

This study examines the association between abnormal returns and five alternative proxies for the market's assessment of unexpected quarterly earnings. We examine the role that measurement error potentially has in multiple regression tests of abnormal returns (occuring around the time of earnings announcements) on an unexpected earnings proxy and other non-earnings variables. The results indicate a potential measurement error interpretation of such multiple regression tests. We examine three procedures which reduce, to an unknown degree, the measurement error problem. Our procedures appear to be more (less) effective at reducing measurement error for small (large) firms and recent (non-recent) forecasts.