Causes and Consequences of Transitional Goodwill Impairment Losses: Evidence from Canada - Softcover

Lapointe-Antunes, Pascale

Softcover

ISBN 10: 3838353692 ISBN 13: 9783838353692

Publisher: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, 2010

Synopsis

This dissertation investigates the causes and consequences of the goodwill reporting choices made by Canadian firms following the adoption of revised standards on purchased goodwill in 2002. First, I show that transitional goodwill impairment losses are associated with managers' incentives to both overstate and understate them. Furthermore, independent board of directors and audit committees act as a constraint on Canadian managers' goodwill reporting choices to ensure that the economic value of goodwill is better reflected in financial statements. Second, I show that investors perceive goodwill as an asset, and goodwill impairment losses as sufficiently reliable measurements of a reduction in the value of goodwill to incorporate them in their valuation assessments. Finally, I show that transitional goodwill impairment losses were impounded in stock prices prior to 2002. Overall, the empirical evidence contained in the dissertation is consistent with SFAS 142/Section 3062 improving the quality of the financial information on goodwill provided in the financial statements.

About this title

About the Author

Pascale Lapointe-Antunes is a Chartered Accountant (CA) since 1999. She obtained a Ph.D. in accounting in 2006. Pascale is interested in the causes and consequences of corporate transparency as reflected in asset valuation decisions, earnings quality, voluntary disclosure, and corporate governance structures.

Edition details

• Publisher: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3838353692
• ISBN 13: 9783838353692
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 92