Non-GAAP measure disclosure and insider trading incentives in high-tech IPO firms

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bishal BC ◽  
Bo Liu

Purpose This paper aims to investigate whether the non-generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) performance measures (NGMs) disclosure by high-tech initial public offering (IPO) firms signal firms’ efforts to maintain relatively high stock price levels before the expiration of the lock-up period to benefit insider selling. Design/methodology/approach The authors perform ordinary least squares and logit regressions using financial statement data and hand collected data on NGM disclosures for high-tech firms during the IPO process. Findings The authors find that the top executives of high-tech IPO firms with NGM disclosures are significantly more likely to sell and sell significantly more insider shares at the lock-up expiration than those of high-tech IPO firms without NGM disclosures. At the same time, while high-tech NGM firms have stock returns similar to their counterparts without NGMs for the period before the lock-up expiration, their stock returns are substantially lower after insider selling following the lock-up expiration. Practical implications By documenting the negative association between NGM disclosures and post-lockup expiration stock performance, the study highlights managerial deliberate optimism about the firm’s prospects which may not materialize. Hence, investors should take the NGM disclosures with a grain of salt. Originality/value This paper fills a notable void in the non-GAAP reporting literature by documenting a statistically and economically significant positive association between managerial equity trading incentives and NGM disclosures by high-tech IPO firms.

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-362
Author(s):  
Latif Cem Osken ◽  
Ceylan Onay ◽  
Gözde Unal

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the dynamics of the security lending process and lending markets to identify the market-wide variables reflecting the characteristics of the stock borrowed and to measure the credit risk arising from lending contracts. Design/methodology/approach Using the data provided by Istanbul Settlement and Custody Bank on the equity lending contracts of Securities Lending and Borrowing Market between 2010 and 2012 and the data provided by Borsa Istanbul on Equity Market transactions for the same timeframe, this paper analyzes whether stock price volatility, stock returns, return per unit amount of risk and relative liquidity of lending market and equity market affect the defaults of lending contracts by using both linear regression and ordinary least squares regression for robustness and proxying the concepts of relative liquidity, volatility and return constructs by more than variable to correlate findings. Findings The results illustrate a statistically significant relationship between volatility and the default state of the lending contracts but fail to establish a connection between default states and stock returns or relative liquidity of markets. Research limitations/implications With the increasing pressure for clearing security lending contracts in central counterparties, it is imperative for both central counterparties and regulators to be able to precisely measure the risk exposure due to security lending transactions. The results gained from a limited set of lending transactions merit further studies to identify non-borrower and non-systemic credit risk determinants. Originality/value This is the first study to analyze the non-borrower and non-systemic credit risk determinants in security lending markets.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 514-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasidah Mohd-Rashid ◽  
Mansur Masih ◽  
Ruzita Abdul-Rahim ◽  
Norliza Che-Yahya

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify selected information from the prospectus that might signal the initial public offering (IPO) offer price. Design/methodology/approach This study uses cross-sectional data for a 14-year period from 2000 to 2014 in examining hypotheses relating to Shariah-compliant status, institutional investors, underwriter ranking and shareholder retention, with respect to their associations with the offer price of the IPOs. Further, this study uses ordinary least squares (OLS) for all models, including the models for both subsamples of Shariah- and non-Shariah-compliant IPOs. As for robustness, this study incorporates the quantile regression and quadratic model. Findings The results tend to provide support for the argument that firms with Shariah-compliant status reflect lower uncertainty and project better signalling of quality due to greater scrutiny by the government and thus are able to offer IPOs at higher prices. Similarly, firms with a higher proportion of shareholder retention indicate lower risks as insiders forego their options to diversify their portfolio, and hence could price their IPOs higher. Finally, the involvement of institutional investors and higher underwriter ranking could be used by firms to disregard information asymmetry, and therefore, the issuer might have to discount the IPO offer price. Research limitations/implications This study focuses solely on information in the prospectus that should not be disregarded by the investors in valuing the appropriateness of the IPO offer price. This study contributes in terms of providing a better understanding of the determinant factors of the IPO offer price of the firms which are Shariah-compliant. Originality/value This paper provides evidence for the determinants of the IPO offer price in a fixed pricing mechanism for both Shariah-and non-Shariah-compliant IPOs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Fedyk ◽  
Natalya Khimich

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to link valuation of different accounting items to research and development (R&D) investment decisions and investigate how suboptimal R&D choices during initial public offering (IPO) are linked to future operating and market underperformance. Design/methodology/approach For firms with substantial growth opportunities, accounting net income is a poor measure of the firm’s performance (Smith and Watts, 1992). Therefore, other metrics such as R&D intensity are used by investors to evaluate firms’ performance. This leads to a coexistence of two strategies: if earnings are the main value driver, firms tend to underinvest in R&D; and if R&D expenditures are the main value driver, firms tend to overinvest in R&D. Findings The authors show that the R&D investment decision varies systematically with cross-sectional characteristics: firms that are at the growth stage, unprofitable or belong to science-driven industries are more likely to overinvest, while firms that are able to avoid losses by decreasing R&D expenditure are more likely to underinvest. Finally, they find that R&D overinvestment leads to future underperformance as evidenced by poor operating return on assets, lower product market share, higher frequency of delisting due to poor performance and negative abnormal stock returns. Originality/value While prior literature concentrates on R&D underinvestment as a tool of reporting higher net income, the authors demonstrate the existence of an alternative strategy used by many IPO firms – R&D overinvestment.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mukesh Garg ◽  
Mehdi Khedmati ◽  
Fanjie Meng ◽  
Prabanga Thoradeniya

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether the quality of management can mitigate the positive association between corporate tax avoidance and firm-specific stock price crash risk (SPCR).Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on data from the Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP), Compustat and ExecuComp and focuses on US-listed firms from 1980 to 2016. The authors employ ordinary least squares (OLS) regression as the baseline methodology and use five measures of tax avoidance and three measures of SPCR. Propensity score matching (PSM) and two-stage least squares methodologies are employed to address endogeneity concerns.FindingsThe authors find that more able managers weaken the positive relationship between tax avoidance and SPCR. The results suggest that the benefits of efficient tax management are more likely in firms with a more able management team as the likelihood of SPCR due to tax avoidance practices is reduced in such firms.Practical implicationsThis study has important practical implications for investors who are concerned about firms that engage in tax planning activities that can reduce corporate taxes, but at the same time increase the SPCR. Considering the compelling arguments and the “dark” side of more able managers who may engage in opportunistic behaviour, the study provides useful evidence in support of more able managers.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the SPCR literature by examining the effect of managerial ability on the likelihood of tax avoidance causing SPCR. Able managers are likely to lower the risk faced by investors and are less likely to extract rent and manipulate information. Therefore, the findings of this study have implications for investors by informing them of the negative value implications of tax avoidance and how they can be mitigated by hiring more able managers.


2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 1392-1410 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Stephen Haggard ◽  
Yaoyi Xi

Purpose Conventional wisdom says that the price reduction stocks experience at expiration of the initial public offering (IPO) lockup period is due to relaxation of selling constraints. Findings from more recent literature question this explanation. The purpose of this paper is to examine a different cause for this price drop, IPO overvaluation. Design/methodology/approach Using the IPO overvaluation measures of Purnanandam and Swaminathan (2004), the authors examine IPO lockup period stock return differences between stocks in the highest and lowest overvaluation quintiles. Findings The authors show that the IPO lockup period price reduction is strongly related to overvaluation. Zero-investment portfolios long in the lowest overvaluation quintile and short in the highest overvaluation quintile of IPO firms have positive significant returns. Practical implications IPO investors can use the technique to identify firms likely to underperform in the IPO lockup period, potentially avoiding bad investments. Originality/value This is the first study to link IPO lockup period stock returns to IPO overvaluation, providing evidence on the impact of both overvaluation and short-selling constraints on stock returns in the IPO lockup period.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-290
Author(s):  
Josef Schosser ◽  
Heiko Ströbele

Purpose On May 17, 2012, the social networking company Facebook Inc. fixes its initial public offering (IPO) price at $38.00 a share. Over the next couple of months, contrary to expectations raised by previous IPOs, the stock price crashes more than 50 per cent. Immediately, the question arises whether the issuer’s or the stock market’s pricing of the share are in line with the firm’s fundamentals. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to determine the company value in close proximity to the date of IPO. Design/methodology/approach As Facebook is an archetypal internet growth company, it is evaluated using the Schwartz/Moon model. This approach features significant advantages over traditional valuation models and more adequately captures the characteristics of growth companies. Findings As of September 30, 2012, the fundamental share value determined was $26.53, which exceeded the market price per share of $22.66 by 22.48 per cent, but was far less than the IPO stock price. The subsequent sensitivity analysis reveals the robustness of the result to key input parameters. Originality/value The results raise doubts about the IPO price of Facebook. Furthermore, this paper is of value from a more conceptual perspective in that an extended version of the Schwartz/Moon model is provided. Beyond extensions previously discussed in the subject-based literature, the authors include stochastic interest rates (as an additional source of uncertainty) and investigate their valuation effects.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 715-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin W. Hoffman ◽  
Albert L. Nagy

Purpose This paper aims to investigate whether the expected implementation of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX 404(b)) (the integrated audit requirement) caused auditors to discount their audit fees for non-accelerated filers in anticipation of expected increased future economic rents (DeAngelo, 1981) from those clients. Design/methodology/approach This paper predicts that auditors charged their non-accelerated filer clients lower audit fees during the years 2005-2007 (in anticipation of increased expected future economic rents from the implementation of the SOX 404(b) requirement) compared with the years 2010-2012 (when it had been determined that non-accelerated filers were permanently exempt from complying with SOX 404(b)). The authors use ordinary least squares regression analysis to examine whether audit fees increased significantly for non-accelerated filers after the permanent exemption announcement. Findings The results show a significant positive association between the exemption announcement and audit fees, supporting the theory that auditors discounted their audit fees for non-accelerated filers in the pre-exemption announcement period. This finding is robust when sensitivity tests are used. Practical implications The findings of audit fee discounting literature related to the post-SOX period are mixed. This study adds to this stream of literature by supporting the notion that audit fee discounting is being practiced post-SOX and is a potential unintended consequence of SOX 404 and the exemption. Thus, investors will be interested in the results of this paper when making their investment decisions with regard to non-accelerated filers. Social implications The results of this paper show that, even in the post-SOX environment, auditors will employ the use of audit fee discounting if a change in regulation incentivizes it. This commentary on the present state of the audit pricing market should be of interest to audit pricing policymakers. Originality/value This paper is one of the first to study audit fee discounting outside the realm of initial audit engagements.


2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Williams ◽  
Bruce S. Koch

MicroStrategy, Inc. was one of the high-tech “darlings” of Wall Street during the stock market boom of the late 1990s. After its initial public offering (IPO) in 1998, revenue and earnings increased steadily and substantially year after year. By early March 2000, the company's stock price had soared to $333 per share. Nonetheless, there was at least one financial research group that questioned whether MicroStrategy's performance justified its high market valuation. Based on publicly available information at the time, you are asked to identify “red flags” (i.e., warnings) of possible problems with the company.


2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 642-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fariss-Terry Mousa ◽  
William J. Ritchie ◽  
Richard Reed

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to extend governance research in the small business context by examining the moderating influence of top executive involvement on the board of directors on market valuation. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on a sample of initial public offering (IPO) high-tech firms engaged in late-stage funding, the study uses stepwise regression to test board involvement moderation effects. Findings – Primary market investors reward governance structures that limit founder power. Originality/value – The current study introduces the notion that optimal market valuation depends not only on whether a CEO-founder governs the firm, but also on level of involvement on the board of directors.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jagjit Singh Saini ◽  
Mingming Feng ◽  
Jim DeMello

PurposeWith the growing awareness about the environment and climate, sustainability has gained increased attention of investors. Many investors now factor in the long-term sustainability of successful and responsible companies when making their investment choices. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether or not the sustainability performance of a company affects the informativeness of its earnings by exploring the mediating effect of sustainability performance on the association between stock returns and earnings changes.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of firms for the period 2009–2016 with available sustainability data from TruValue Labs' database, the authors investigate how the sustainability performance of a firm mediates the relationship between stock returns and earnings (changes). The authors use ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions to test their hypotheses.FindingsConsistent with the voluntary disclosure and environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance literature, the authors find that higher sustainability performance improves the stock price informativeness of earnings. The authors find evidence in support of increased earnings response coefficient with increased sustainability performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study adds to the literature supporting the notion of sustainability investing indicating that sustainability performance of a firm affects the stock price informativeness and predictability of earnings (changes) of the firm.Originality/valueThis study has value for, both, investors and managers regarding the importance of sustainability performance of the firm. Sustainability performance of the firm sends signals to market participants, increasing the informational content of the reported earnings as well as predictability of future earnings.


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