Objectives of financial statements: Selected papers

Committee members are: Cyert, Richard M.; Davidson, Sidney;Edwards, James Don; Gellein, Oscar S.;Parker, C. Reed;Reinhart, Andrew J.; Trueblood, Robert M.;Wagner, Howard O.;Weston, Frank T.

Goodwill Impairment

In 2001, goodwill amortization in the US was eliminated in favor of an impairment-only approach, which, according to critics, gives managers vast discretion and opportunities for earnings management. Prior research suggests that discretionary asset write-offs are associated with economic factors and managers’ financial reporting objectives. Based on a systematic literature review, this study investigates for a comprehensive sample of US firms the determinants of goodwill write-off behavior. Regression analysis shows that write-off behavior is significantly explained by firms’ economic properties. Only in large, high-profile firms, incentives appear to be significant determinants. These findings suggest that the impairment-only approach does capture goodwill impairment at least to some extent

Goodwill Impairment

In 2001, goodwill amortization in the US was eliminated in favor of an impairment-only approach, which, according to critics, gives managers vast discretion and opportunities for earnings management. Prior research suggests that discretionary asset write-offs are associated with economic factors and managers’ financial reporting objectives. Based on a systematic literature review, this study investigates for a comprehensive sample of US firms the determinants of goodwill write-off behavior. Regression analysis shows that write-off behavior is significantly explained by firms’ economic properties. Only in large, high-profile firms, incentives appear to be significant determinants. These findings suggest that the impairment-only approach does capture goodwill impairment at least to some extent

Development of a Financial Simulation Model for Grain Elevator Firms

This study is concerned with the development of a financial planning simulation model for use by the managers of Oklahoma's country grain elevator firms. The primary objective is to develop a computerized model which will aid grain elevator managers in the analysis of alternative long-range operating plans. Development of the analysis of grain-related operations is an important component of this model.Agricultural Economic

Liquidity management: an empirical study of U.K. companies

The present study is an empirically based analysis of liquidity management. The study contributes to the understanding of how U.K.-based companies handle the problem of unexpected events which have major negative implications for the expected funds flow equilibrium of the firm. In particular, the study was aimed at discovering the kind of liquidity management being implemented in practice, and the relationship between specific liquidity management practices and certain characteristics of the firm, and of its (headquarters) finance department. Evidence of the subject in the U.K. is very thin. It is therefore important to collect information on the state of the art in the practice of liquidity management in the U.K. particularly since, for the last decade, companies have been so negatively affected by the instability and unpredictability of the business environment. The study also contributes to the identification of differences between theory and practice. In this respect, it is expected that the recognition of actual differences will challenge not only the level at which companies practice liquidity management but also the teaching of the subject in current corporate finance courses

Empirical Examination of the Relative Information Content of Derivatives Disclosure as Required by SEC Financial Reporting Release No. 48

Business Administratio

Valuation methods and the use of computers in the acquisition analysis of privately owned firms.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Alfred P. Sloan School of Management. Thesis. 1973. M.S.MICROFICHE COPY ALSO AVAILABLE IN DEWEY LIBRARY.Leaves 71, 93, 164-166, 187, 218-220 omitted (9 leaves).Bibliography: leaves 345-350.M.S

A critical review of the capital investment decision making process

This thesis attempts to untangle the complexities of capital investment decision making by an in depth review and analysis of the literature on the subject which has grown since World War II in discontinuous and widely spread bits. Then, this author tries to weave these isolated threads of knowledge into some kind of comprehensive whole