← Search

Journal of Accounting Research Vol. 49 No. 1 2011

Timing Equity Issuance in Response to Information Asymmetry Arising from IFRS Adoption in Australia and Europe

Shiheng Wang1; Michael Welker2

1 Hong Kong University of Science and Technology · 2 Queen's University

Abstract

This study examines the association between changes in reported financial performance resulting from mandatory adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and equity issuance during the transition period leading up to IFRS adoption for listed firms in Australia and Europe. We hypothesize that firms affected by the accounting standards change strategically time equity issuance around the time the firm discloses the effects of IFRS adoption on reported financial performance. We document circumstances where market returns are associated with the reconciliation of net income between local GAAP and IFRS. We find that a firm's likelihood of equity issuance and equity issue size during the three years prior to the IFRS reconciliation disclosure are negatively associated with the unexpected change in net income resulting from the conversion to IFRS.

DOI
10.1111/j.1475-679x.2010.00392.x
Volume
49
Issue
1
Pages
257-307
Language
en
Sources
openalex bibtex:phds-export.bib crossref

Cite