304 research outputs found
Diluted Earnings Per Share Overstatement Bias: Including Unrecognized Employee Compensation In Proceeds From Assumed Exercise Of Employee Stock Options Under The Treasury Stock Method
Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) require firms to recognize compensation expense under the fair value method in the case of employee stock options. Straight line amortization of the options grant date fair value must be recognized as expense over the service period which decreases the earnings per share numerator. For diluted earnings per share (EPS), GAAP requires using the treasury stock method, where proceeds from assumed stock option exercise is used to purchase treasury shares at the average for the period price. Exercise proceeds include the exercise price plus unrecognized future employee compensation. For profitable firms, exercise is assumed if dilutive - more shares are assumed issued than are reacquired for the treasury which increases the diluted EPS denominator. These requirements are consistent across US GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. This paper tests whether including unrecognized employee compensation in proceeds from the assumed exercise of employee stock options under the treasury stock method is appropriate. A simple multi period model that assumes a risk free environment with complete certainty is applied. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that future unrecognized employee compensation should not be included in proceeds from the assumed exercise of stock options under the treasury stock method. Doing so consistently causes diluted EPS overstatement, and in certain instances causes assumed exercise of in the money options to be antidilutive, which results in complete exclusion from the diluted EPS calculation. This research extends the employee stock option work of Doran (2005 and 2008) that found: 1) Compensation expense recognized over the employee service period should equal the periodic annuity amount that provides the options grant date fair value, and 2) Treasury shares should be assumed purchased at the higher end of period stock price
Employee Stock Options And Diluted Earnings Per Share
At the time of this writing, SFAS No.123 (1995) prescribes GAAP in accounting for employee stock options. It allows firms to choose either the intrinsic or fair value method in determining the amount of compensation expense recognized for employee stock options. The choice of method affects the numerator of the earnings per share (EPS) calculation. The FASB recently issued a revised SFAS No. 123 (2004) which will require uniform application of the fair value method. GAAP also requires that the denominator for the diluted EPS calculation be increased for incremental shares under the treasury stock method. SFAS 128 requires the treasury stock method be applied where the proceeds from the assumed exercise of options are used to acquire shares of the firm’s outstanding stock at the average market price for the period. Previous to SFAS No. 128, APB Opinion No. 15 required that the higher of average or period ending stock price be used in determining the number of shares reacquired with the proceeds from the assumed exercise of stock options. This paper develops a simple one period model that assumes a risk free environment with complete certainty conditions in testing the accuracy of EPS calculated under GAAP using the fair value method vs. the intrinsic value method. The results indicate that EPS reported under the intrinsic value method are overstated, and further indicate that a combination of both the fair value method and the treasury stock method is needed in calculating diluted EPS. This fair value and treasury stock method combination is shown to not “double count” the stock option’s impact upon EPS. The results also indicate a slight misstatement of diluted EPS under the fair value method when applying the treasury stock method requirements of SFAS No. 128. Correct EPS results when shares are assumed reacquired for the treasury at the higher year ending price, consistent with superseded APB 15. However, the diluted EPS misstatement is so slight that the FASB’s rationale for always requiring the use of average period price seems likely to be justified. The findings of this research support the requirements of SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004) and SFAS No. 128
Methodological Choices In Detecting Divergent Earnings: An Extension
Divergent earnings are those that differ from expected. Doran (2000) provides evidence that nonparametric tests based upon rank values are superior to parametric alternatives in detecting divergent earnings. He also finds that deflator choice (i.e., forecasted earnings or market price of the stock) is of little importance when superior nonparametric methods are used. This study extends the efforts of Doran (2000) by testing for benefit derived from the common research method of deflating earnings data. The data used here is the same as used by Doran (2000), where Value Line is the source of all earnings data. One hundred independent two sample tests are performed between a positive earnings group and a matched control group. The tests are performed with various levels (1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 10 %) of positive actual earnings introduced. Failure to reject the null hypothesis of no positive earnings divergence indicates the existence of Type II error (determined using the nonparametric Mann Whitney test). The Mann Whitney test was performed on the undeflated data, and the same data deflated by: 1) forecasted earnings, and 2) market price of the stock. Difference in frequency of type II error is determined using the Chi-square test. The results generally indicate no significant difference in the ability to identify abnormal divergent earnings when utilizing deflated data. Statistical tests are found here to be at least as powerful when undeflated earnings data are used. There is weak evidence supporting the notion that deflating earnings data inhibits the ability to detect abnormal earnings. These findings indicate that the common practice of deflating earnings data is unnecessary, and may actually weaken the power of statistical tests.  
A Note On Accounting For Employee Stock Options When Reporting Diluted Earnings Per Share Under The Treasury Stock Method
Firms must currently apply the fair value method in determining the amount of employee compensation incurred in the case of employee stock options. Current GAAP also requires that for purposes of calculating diluted earnings per share (EPS), the treasury stock method be applied where the assumed proceeds from exercise of the optioned shares is used to purchase shares of the firm’s stock at its average market price of the earnings period. These incremental shares increase the denominator for purposes of calculating diluted EPS. These requirements are consistent across the pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). This study extends the work of Doran (2005) and Doran (2008). These previous studies found that applying the treasury stock method where shares are assumed purchased at the average for the period price (instead of end of year price) understates the number of incremental shares (the denominator), which overstates diluted EPS. However, these previous works assumed that no shares were actually purchased for the treasury during the earnings period. The FASB indicates one reason that the average for the period price is appropriate is because if treasury shares purchases were to occur, “the shares would be purchased at various prices, not at the price at the end of the period.” This study tests the notion that the average for the period price is appropriate under circumstances where the firm actually purchases shares for the treasury at its average market price during the earnings period. This paper employs a simple one period model that assumes a risk free environment with complete certainty. The model allows comparison of computed EPS with an a priori known, correct amount. Consistent with Doran (2005) and Doran (2008), the results here again indicate that assuming purchase of treasury shares at their average market price of the earnings period understates the EPS denominator which results in EPS overstatement. Correct diluted EPS is derived when the shares assumed purchased under the treasury stock method are acquired at the higher period ending market price. 
Methodological Choices In Detecting Divergent Earnings
This paper empirically tests for methodological superiority in detecting divergent earnings (the difference between actual and expected earnings). Divergent earnings are generated using Value Line forecasted and reported earnings data. Two hundred random samples of 100 cases each are drawn. One hundred independent two sample tests are performed with 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 10 % positive earnings introduced. The two sample tests are performed using both parametric (t test), and nonparametric (Mann Whitney test) statistics. They are performed on the “divergent earnings” data deflated by: 1) forecasted earnings , and 2) the market price of the stock. The results indicate that the superior alternative is nonparametric statistical methods based upon ranks, and the deflator choice under these nonparametric methods is of little consequence
Employee Stock Options And Diluted Earnings Per Share: An Extension
Firms must currently apply the fair value method in determining the amount of employee compensation incurred in the case of employee stock options. The amount of such compensation is required to be measured as fair value of the equity instrument at the grant date, with compensation expense recognized over the service period under the straight-line method. This compensation expense affects the numerator for purposes of calculating earnings per share (EPS) under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Current GAAP also requires that for purposes of calculating diluted EPS, the treasury stock method be applied where the assumed proceeds from exercise of the optioned shares is used to purchase shares of the firm’s stock at its average market price of the earnings period. These incremental shares increase the denominator for purposes of calculating diluted EPS. These requirements are consistent across the pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). This study extends the work of Doran (2005) where a single period model was assumed and found: 1. Application of the fair value method does not double count the impact of compensation recognized, and 2. Applying the treasury stock method where shares are assumed purchased at the average for the period price (instead of end of year price) understates the number of incremental shares (the denominator), which overstates diluted EPS. This paper employs a simple multi period model that assumes a risk free environment with complete certainty in testing the accuracy of GAAP compliant diluted EPS in the case of employee stock options. Consistent with Doran (2005) the results here again indicate that assuming purchase of treasury shares at their average market price of the earnings period understates the EPS denominator. The results of this study also indicate that the reported employee compensation expense is understated. The observed cause of this numerator error is treating the “payment” for the option (employee service) as if it was received in full at the grant date - as a lump sum (like inventory or some other asset), rather than being received ratably over the employee service period – as an annuity. Each of these findings contributes to the observed overstatement of diluted EPS. Correct diluted EPS is observed when the employee service is treated as being received ratably over the service period, and the shares assumed purchased as treasury stock are acquired at the higher period ending market price. The amount of diluted EPS overstatement under both FASB and IASB standards is directly related to the length of the term of the option
Modelling Conditions and Health Care Processes in Electronic Health Records : An Application to Severe Mental Illness with the Clinical Practice Research Datalink
BACKGROUND: The use of Electronic Health Records databases for medical research has become mainstream. In the UK, increasing use of Primary Care Databases is largely driven by almost complete computerisation and uniform standards within the National Health Service. Electronic Health Records research often begins with the development of a list of clinical codes with which to identify cases with a specific condition. We present a methodology and accompanying Stata and R commands (pcdsearch/Rpcdsearch) to help researchers in this task. We present severe mental illness as an example. METHODS: We used the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, a UK Primary Care Database in which clinical information is largely organised using Read codes, a hierarchical clinical coding system. Pcdsearch is used to identify potentially relevant clinical codes and/or product codes from word-stubs and code-stubs suggested by clinicians. The returned code-lists are reviewed and codes relevant to the condition of interest are selected. The final code-list is then used to identify patients. RESULTS: We identified 270 Read codes linked to SMI and used them to identify cases in the database. We observed that our approach identified cases that would have been missed with a simpler approach using SMI registers defined within the UK Quality and Outcomes Framework. CONCLUSION: We described a framework for researchers of Electronic Health Records databases, for identifying patients with a particular condition or matching certain clinical criteria. The method is invariant to coding system or database and can be used with SNOMED CT, ICD or other medical classification code-lists
Stress Induced Structural Transformations in Au Nanocrystals
Nanocrystals can exist in multiply twinned structures like the icosahedron,
or single crystalline structures like the cuboctahedron or Wulff-polyhedron.
Structural transformation between these polymorphic structures can proceed
through diffusion or displacive motion. Experimental studies on nanocrystal
structural transformations have focused on high temperature diffusion mediated
processes. Thus, there is limited experimental evidence of displacive motion
mediated structural transformations. Here, we report the high-pressure
structural transformation of 6 nm Au nanocrystals under nonhydrostatic pressure
in a diamond anvil cell that is driven by displacive motion. In-situ X-ray
diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to detect the
transformation of multiply twinned nanocrystals into single crystalline
nanocrystals. High-pressure single crystalline nanocrystals were recovered
after unloading, however, the nanocrystals quickly reverted back to multiply
twinned state after redispersion in toluene solvent. The dynamics of recovery
was captured using transmission electron microscopy which showed that the
recovery was governed by surface recrystallization and rapid twin boundary
motion. We show that this transformation is energetically favorable by
calculating the pressure-induced change in strain energy. Molecular dynamics
simulations showed that defects nucleated from a region of high stress region
in the interior of the nanocrystal, which make twin boundaries unstable.
Deviatoric stress driven Mackay transformation and dislocation/disclination
mediated detwinning are hypothesized as possible mechanisms of high-pressure
structural transformation.Comment: 32 pages, 14 figures, and 1 movie (please open pdf with Adobe Acrobat
Reader to see the embedded movie
Sub-nanosecond signal propagation in anisotropy engineered nanomagnetic logic chains
Energy efficient nanomagnetic logic (NML) computing architectures propagate
and process binary information by relying on dipolar field coupling to reorient
closely-spaced nanoscale magnets. Signal propagation in nanomagnet chains of
various sizes, shapes, and magnetic orientations has been previously
characterized by static magnetic imaging experiments with low-speed adiabatic
operation; however the mechanisms which determine the final state and their
reproducibility over millions of cycles in high-speed operation (sub-ns time
scale) have yet to be experimentally investigated. Monitoring NML operation at
its ultimate intrinsic speed reveals features undetectable by conventional
static imaging including individual nanomagnetic switching events and
systematic error nucleation during signal propagation. Here, we present a new
study of NML operation in a high speed regime at fast repetition rates. We
perform direct imaging of digital signal propagation in permalloy nanomagnet
chains with varying degrees of shape-engineered biaxial anisotropy using
full-field magnetic soft x-ray transmission microscopy after applying single
nanosecond magnetic field pulses. Further, we use time-resolved magnetic
photo-emission electron microscopy to evaluate the sub-nanosecond dipolar
coupling signal propagation dynamics in optimized chains with 100 ps time
resolution as they are cycled with nanosecond field pulses at a rate of 3 MHz.
An intrinsic switching time of 100 ps per magnet is observed. These
experiments, and accompanying macro-spin and micromagnetic simulations, reveal
the underlying physics of NML architectures repetitively operated on nanosecond
timescales and identify relevant engineering parameters to optimize performance
and reliability.Comment: Main article (22 pages, 4 figures), Supplementary info (11 pages, 5
sections
Nucleation of Dislocations in 3.9 nm Nanocrystals at High Pressure
As circuitry approaches single nanometer length scales, it is important to
predict the stability of metals at these scales. The behavior of metals at
larger scales can be predicted based on the behavior of dislocations, but it is
unclear if dislocations can form and be sustained at single nanometer
dimensions. Here, we report the formation of dislocations within individual 3.9
nm Au nanocrystals under nonhydrostatic pressure in a diamond anvil cell. We
used a combination of x-ray diffraction, optical absorbance spectroscopy, and
molecular dynamics simulation to characterize the defects that are formed,
which were found to be surface-nucleated partial dislocations. These results
indicate that dislocations are still active at single nanometer length scales
and can lead to permanent plasticity.Comment: 33 pages, 12 figure
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