Earnings quality, investment decisions, and financial constraint

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between accruals quality, financial constraint, and investment decisions and if earnings quality affects investment-cash flow sensitivities. Design/methodology/approach – An analysis was conducted of a sample with 10,318 observations of 958 non-financial companies from seven different countries, covering 1992 to 2009. Then, the investment determinants were estimated using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). Findings – Poor accruals quality was positively associated with investment rates for firms with overinvestment and negatively related to investment rates for firms with underinvestment. Additionally, the results indicate that accruals quality affects investment-cash flow sensitivities for firms in a situation of financial constraint; that is, poor accounting information quality can exacerbate the dependence of investment on free cash flow. Originality/value – The results show that poor accruals quality could exacerbate the problems caused by the conflict of interest between decision-makers and shareholders or other stakeholders

INCOME SMOOTHING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Income smoothing is a strategy aimed at altering accounting results in order to reduce fluctuations. In the other hand, by adopting corporate governance mechanisms it may be possible to reduce information asymmetry and, consequently, reduce the possibility of smoothing results. The general objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the adoption of corporate governance mechanisms and income smoothing. Financial data were selected from 211 Brazilian public companies between 2000 and 2015. The firms were separated according to whether or not they adhered to B3’s differentiated corporate governance segments. Income smoothing was measured using both the model by Eckel (1981) and a version of the model proposed by Leuz et al., (2003). The analysis was performed using non-parametric Wilcoxon rank sum tests and descriptive analyses. Based on the descriptive analysis, it was not possible to state that the group of firms adhering to the corporate governance levels had a smaller proportion of companies that smooth results; and the hypothesis that the degree of income smoothing is lower for such companies was not confirmed. The assumption that levels of corporate governance reduce the possibility of income smoothing was not validated based on non-parametric tests. Based on the descriptive analysis, it was concluded that both the proportion of companies that smooth results, and the degree of smoothing by organizations following the B3’s corporate governance levels are not lower than the ones shown by companies that do not follow the levels

Exit and Failure of Credit Unions in Brazil: A Risk Analysis

Este estudo tem por objetivo investigar os fatores que afetam a saída do mercado das cooperativas de crédito singulares brasileiras de 1995 a 2009; ele também identifica e lista os determinantes dos diversos tipos de saída do mercado e analisa se a rentabilidade é um fator significativo para a sobrevivência da cooperativa de crédito. Este estudo foi realizado com dados contábeis fornecidos pelo Banco Central do Brasil, derivados apenas das cooperativas individuais, ou seja, as cooperativas de crédito singulares. As demonstrações financeiras trimestrais dessas cooperativas de crédito que estavam ativas desde 1995 até o segundo trimestre de 2009 foram empregadas, totalizando 71.325 observações para 1.929 cooperativas de crédito. Com base em modelos de sobrevivência e no modelo de riscos competitivos (como os modelos de Cox, Exponencial, Weibull, Gompertz e Risco Competitivo), os resultados demonstram que não há evidências estatísticas que garantam uma correlação entre rentabilidade e sobrevivência da cooperativa de crédito. Os resultados também sugerem que o porte das cooperativas de crédito desempenha um papel fundamental para sua sobrevivência e longevidade e que seu financiamento e sua gestão de investimentos estão relacionados à sua sobrevivência e ao seu risco de saída do mercado. Em conclusão, os resultados confirmam a ideia inicial de que a dualidade inerente às cooperativas de crédito - princípios cooperativos versus eficiência econômica - poderia influenciar a estabilidade, sobrevivência e longevidade dessas instituições. Tais resultados também podem implicar que uma cooperativa de crédito que adota a lógica de um banco privado ficará mais distante de seus membros, algo que prejudicará suas futuras operações e aumentará a probabilidade de sua saída do mercado.This study aims to investigate the factors that affect the market exit of Brazilian singular credit unions from 1995 to 2009; it also identifies and lists the determinants of various types of market exits and analyzes whether profitability is a significant factor for credit union survival. This study was conducted with accounting data provided by the Central Bank of Brazil, which derives only from individual cooperatives, i.e. singular credit unions. Quarterly financial statements from these credit unions that were active from 1995 to the second quarter of 2009 were employed, totaling 71,325 observations for 1,929 credit unions. Based on survival and the model of competing risks (such as the Cox, Exponential, Weibull, Gompertz, and Competing Risk models), the results show that there is no statistical evidence to ensure a correlation between profitability and credit union survival. The results also suggest that the size of credit unions plays a key role in their survival and longevity and that their funding and investment management are related to their survival and risk of market exit. In conclusion, the results confirm the initial idea that the duality inherent to credit unions - cooperative principles versus economic efficiency - might influence the stability, survival, and longevity of these institutions. Such results may also imply that a credit union embracing the rationale of a private bank will become more estranged from its members, something which will hinder its future operations and increase the likelihood of its exit from the market

Exit and Failure of Credit Unions in Brazil: A Risk Analysis

This study aims to investigate the factors that affect the market exit of Brazilian singular credit unions from 1995 to 2009; it also identifies and lists the determinants of various types of market exits and analyzes whether profitability is a significant factor for credit union survival. This study was conducted with accounting data provided by the Central Bank of Brazil, which derives only from individual cooperatives, i.e. singular credit unions. Quarterly financial statements from these credit unions that were active from 1995 to the second quarter of 2009 were employed, totaling 71,325 observations for 1,929 credit unions. Based on survival and the model of competing risks (such as the Cox, Exponential, Weibull, Gompertz, and Competing Risk models), the results show that there is no statistical evidence to ensure a correlation between profitability and credit union survival. The results also suggest that the size of credit unions plays a key role in their survival and longevity and that their funding and investment management are related to their survival and risk of market exit. In conclusion, the results confirm the initial idea that the duality inherent to credit unions - cooperative principles versus economic efficiency - might influence the stability, survival, and longevity of these institutions. Such results may also imply that a credit union embracing the rationale of a private bank will become more estranged from its members, something which will hinder its future operations and increase the likelihood of its exit from the market

Accounting information quality and investments decisions: evidences for Latin America

O propósito do presente estudo foi investigar a relação entre qualidade das informações contábeis, restrição financeira e decisões de investimentos na América Latina. Para isso analisou-se uma amostra com 10.318 observações de 958 empresas não financeiras de capital aberto, oriundas de sete diferentes países, entre os períodos de 1992 a 2009. Com o uso do modelo probabilístico Logit estimou-se o impacto da qualidade dos lucros na probabilidade das firmas apresentarem superinvestimentos, subinvestimentos ou restrição financeira. Em seguida, utilizando o método dos momentos generalizados (GMM) e uma adaptação do modelo acelerador de investimentos, estimaram-se os determinantes dos investimentos. Os resultados indicam que uma pior qualidade nos lucros possa reduzir a probabilidade de decisões eficientes de investimentos e aumentar a possibilidade de subinvestimentos. Verificou-se haver indícios de que a pior qualidade nos lucros possa exacerbar os problemas causados pelo conflito de interesses entre os tomadores de decisões e os investidores das firmas latino-americanas, pois a baixa qualidade nos lucros mostrou-se positivamente associada às taxas de investimentos das firmas com superinvestimentos e negativamente relacionada às taxas de investimentos das firmas com subinvestimentos. Por fim, os resultados indicam que a qualidade dos lucros afeta a sensibilidade dos investimentos ao caixa das firmas que estejam em situação de restrição financeira. Assim, conclui-se que a qualidade das informações financeiras, como ferramenta para redução de assimetria de informações, pode impactar as decisões de investimentos das empresas da América Latina.The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among accruals quality, financial constraint and investment decisions in Latin America. For this, it was analyzed a sample with 10,318 observations of 958 non-financial companies from seven different countries, between 1992 to 2009. Using the probabilistic model Logit it was estimated the impact of earnings quality on the probability of overinvestment, underinvestment and financial constraints. Then, using the generalized method of moments (GMM) and an adaptation of the accelerator model of investment, it was estimated the investment determinants. The results indicate that a poor accruals quality can reduce the probability of efficient investment decisions and increase the possibility of underinvestment. The results show that poor accruals quality could exacerbate the problems caused by the conflict of interest between decision-makers and investors from Latin American firms, because poor accruals quality was positively associated with investment rates for firms with overinvestment and negatively related to firms investment for firms with underinvestment. Finally, the results indicate that the accruals quality affects the investment-cash flow sensitivities for firms in financial constraint situation. Thus, we concluded that quality of financial information, as a tool to reduce information asymmetries, might affect the investment decisions in Latin America

Indicators for evaluating agricultural cooperatives´ performance: a study in the State of São Paulo

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi identificar os principais indicadores econômico-financeiros que devem ser considerados no acompanhamento do desempenho das cooperativas agropecuárias. Para tanto, foram analisados 172 demonstrativos financeiros de cooperativas agropecuárias paulistas, dos quais 22 não dispunham de todos os dados necessários, sendo portanto, excluídas, restando 150 observações. As cooperativas apresentam dupla dimensão: a social e a econômica. Estudos comprovaram que, em cooperativas agropecuárias, o desempenho social é uma conseqüência do desempenho econômico. Diante disso, optou-se por avaliar o desempenho dessas entidades utilizando-se de indicadores econômico-financeiros. Para tanto, foi empregada a ferramenta estatística Análise Fatorial, o que permitiu verificar o nível de correlação entre os diversos indicadores, bem como a possibilidade de agrupá-los em fatores. Como pré-requisitos à aplicação desta ferramenta foram utilizados os testes de esfericidade de Bartlett e o teste KMO. Por meio dos testes, comprovou-se adequado uso da ferramenta, porém objetivando melhorar o nível de significância do modelo foram retiradas da análise as variáveis que individualmente apresentavam um baixo nível de relacionamento com as demais, verificando-se melhor nível de adequação do uso da ferramenta. A partir do resultado obtido conclui-se pela existência de quatro fatores centrais formados por nove principais indicadores. Finalmente, por meio das cargas fatoriais obtidas para cada uma das observações, foi possível analisar individualmente três cooperativas e comparar a metodologia empregada neste estudo com a metodologia tradicional, verificando haver coerência entre ambas. Conclui-se que o uso da Análise Fatorial, em relação às cooperativas agropecuárias, proporciona uma maior objetividade na escolha dos principais indicadores, o estabelecimento de um número menor de índices, a avaliação simultânea de vários indicadores, a criação de novos índices que englobam o conteúdo informacional dos indicadores tradicionalmente empregados e a classificação e comparação do desempenho das cooperativas agropecuárias de forma objetiva.The purpose of this study was to identify the main economic and financial indicators which should be considered to monitor the agricultural cooperatives\' management. It has been analyzed 172 financial statements of agricultural cooperatives from São Paulo state. 22 of them did not present all requested data, remaining 150 observations for the assessment. The cooperatives have two dimensions: the social and economic. Studies have shown that, in agricultural cooperatives, the social performance is a consequence of the economic performance. Therefore, it was chosen to evaluate the performance of these entities by using economic and financial indicators. Applying the Factor Analysis statistical technique it was possible to find out the level of correlation among several indicators, as well as to group them into factors. As a prerequisite for its implementation it was used Bartlett\'s tests and KMO test, proving that the use of the technique was appropriated. However, in order to improve the significance level of the model, some variables which had shown a weak correlation to the other variables were removed, resulting in better outcomes after the application of the technique. It has been found four main factors by combining nine indicators. Finally, through the factorial loadings obtained for each observation, three cooperatives were analysed, and the methodology employed here is compared to the traditional methodology, looking for the existence of some coherence. It follows that the use of the factorial analysis, for agricultural cooperatives, allows less subjectivity in the choice of the key indicators, establishment of a smaller number of indexes, evaluation of multiple indicators, creation of new indexes to cover the informational content of traditional indicators and thus classification and comparison of the agricultural cooperatives´ performance

Identificação de indicadores contábeis relevantes para previsão e projeção de rentabilidade

Vários estudos utilizando indicadores contábeis para a previsão de insolvência têm sido desenvolvidos desde as décadas de sessenta e setenta. Esses trabalhos buscam prever um possível estado de deterioração do desempenho financeiro das empresas, utilizando-se de modelos estatísticos. A presente pesquisa buscou identificar quais os indicadores contábeis mais significativos para a previsão de rentabilidade das empresas, propondo uma função que utilize indicadores passados como base para prever rentabilidade futura. Foram empregadas informações de todas as empresas não financeiras que estavam ativas e possuíam ações negociadas na Bolsa de Valores de São Paulo (Bovespa) nos anos de 2004, 2003 e 2002. Utilizando-se a análise descritiva e empregando o modelo de regressão linear múltipla, verificaram-se quais foram as variáveis mais significativas com suas respectivas Ponderações. Conclui-se com uma função de previsão de ROA, contendo cinco variáveis independentes estatisticamente significantes ao nível de 5% (cinco porcento) das doze selecionadas para o modelo inicial