Meta-Analysis of the Impact of IFRS Adoption on Financial Reporting Comparability, Market Liquidity, and Cost of Capital

An extensive number of empirical studies have been devoted to the adoption of IFRS but the results have been inconclusive. We use a meta-analysis of 42 empirical studies with 68 independent samples to determine whether IFRS adoption has impacted on financial reporting comparability, market liquidity, and the cost of capital. This approach provides a logical and objective view of the empirical results, in contrast to narrative reviews which offer subjective conclusions. We find that IFRS adoption has significantly increased financial reporting comparability and market liquidity, and reduced the cost of capital. However, our assessment of sources of heterogeneity shows that the above relationship is moderated by differences in modes of adoption, peculiarities in legal systems, the divergence of local GAAP from IFRS, and the level of standards and regulatory enforcement of the country in which a firm operates. This study is beneficial to regulators and policymakers of jurisdictions that are considering the adoption of IFRS