We show that tests of market efficiency are sensitive to the inclusion of delisting firm-years. When included, trading strategy returns based on anomaly variables can increase (for strategies based on earnings, cash flows and the book-to-market ratio) or decrease (for a strategy based on...

Using a hazard model, we examine secular changes in the ability of financial statement data to predict bankruptcy over a forty-year period. We identify three trends in financial reporting that could influence predictive ability with respect to bankruptcy: the increase in FASB standards, many of...

We show that the asymmetric effects of income taxes and special items for profit and loss firms contribute substantially to a discontinuity at zero in the distribution of earnings. Income taxes draw profit observations towards zero while negative special items pull loss observations away from...

We examine whether the properties of bond ratings from certified agencies (designated by the SEC) differ from those of non-certified bond rating agencies. Bond ratings from non-certified agencies are used solely for investment advice. Certified ratings are used by a variety of constituents, many...

This paper examines whether property-casualty insurance companies manage earnings to influence investor expectations at the time of equity issuances. Our tests focus on the discretionary component of a material accounting accrual recognized by property-casualty insurance companies, i.e., the...

This study shows that initiation of CDS trading for an entity's debt increases the share of loans retained by loan syndicate lead arrangers and increases loan spread. These findings are consistent with CDS initiation reducing the effectiveness of a lead arranger's stake in the loan to serve as a...

This study explores the effect of cross-sectional and time-series differences in financial reporting attributes on the predictive ability of financial ratios for bankruptcy. We identify proxies for discretion over financial reporting, the importance of intangible assets, and the effects of...

This study explores the effect of cross- sectional and time-series differences in financial reporting attributes on the predictive ability of financial ratios for bankruptcy. We identify proxies for discretion over financial reporting, the importance of intangible assets, and the effects of...

This study uses out-of-sample equity value estimates to determine whether earnings disaggregation, imposing valuation model linear information (LIM) structure, and separate industry estimation of valuation model parameters aid in predicting contemporaneous equity values. We consider three levels...

In this study, we extend the findings of Barth, Beaver, Hand, and Landsman (1999) by providing empirical evidence that for three levels of disaggregated earnings, (1) the structure provided by the Feltham-Ohlson model aids in predicting equity market values, and (2) forecasting of equity market...