[go: up one dir, main page]
IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/coacre/v12y1995i1p1-23.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Relative versus Incremental Information Content

Author

Listed:
  • GARY C. BIDDLE
  • GIM S. SEOW
  • ANDREW F. SIEGEL
Abstract
. This study distinguishes between incremental and relative information content. Incremental comparisons ask whether one accounting measure provides information content beyond that provided by another, and apply when one measure is viewed as given and an assessment is desired regarding the incremental contribution of another (e.g., a supplemental disclosure). Relative comparisons ask which measure has greater information content, and apply when making mutually exclusive choices among alternatives, or when rankings by information content are desired (e.g., when comparing alternative disclosures). Questions of both incremental and relative information content arise frequently in accounting. However, few previous studies have examined questions of relative information content. Possible explanations include unfamiliarity with the relative versus incremental distinction, and the additional statistical complexity involved in testing for relative information content. First, we examine analytically the relation between incremental and relative information content, demonstrating that they address different research questions and require different tests for statistical significance. Second, we identify accounting research contexts in which questions of relative and incremental information content arise. Third, we propose a new regression†based test for relative information content. This test applies to both returns and valuation studies, generalizes to any number of predictor variables, and can be used in conjunction with White's (1980) adjustment for heteroskedasticity. Fourth, we illustrate tests for relative and incremental information content in a familiar research setting that compares the information contents of net income, cash flows, and net sales in 40 industries. Résumé. Les auteurs établissent la distinction entre le contenu marginal et relatif en information. Les comparaisons du contenu marginal visent à déterminer si une mesure comptable livre un contenu en information supérieur à celui d'une autre, et elles s'appliquent dans les cas où une mesure est considérée comme étant donnée et où l'on souhaite évaluer la contribution marginale d'une autre mesure (par exemple, la présentation de renseignements complémentaires). Les comparaisons du contenu relatif visent à déterminer quelle mesure livre un contenu en information supérieur, et elles s'appliquent dans les cas où les choix entre différentes possibilités sont mutuellement exclusifs ou lorsqu'il s'agit d'établir des classifications selon le contenu en information (par exemple, dans la comparaison de différentes possibilités en ce qui a trait à la présentation d'information). La question du contenu marginal aussi bien que du contenu relatif en information se pose fréquemment en comptabilité. Dans les études réalisées jusqu'à maintenant, l'on s'est peu intéressé aux questions touchant le contenu relatif en information. Cette lacune pourrait s'expliquer, entre autres, par le caractère inusité de la distinction entre contenu relatif et contenu marginal en information et par la complexité statistique accrue que supposent des tests portant sur le contenu relatif en information. Selon un schéma analytique, les auteurs examinent en premier lieu la relation entre le contenu marginal et le contenu relatif en information, en démontrant que les mesures correspondantes se rapportent à des questions de recherche différentes et qu'elles exigent des tests de signification statistique différents. Ils déterminent en deuxième lieu quels sont les contextes de recherche comptable dans lesquels se posent les questions pertinentes au contenu relatif et marginal en information. Ils proposent, en troisième lieu, un test inédit fondé sur la régression et s'appliquant au contenu relatif en information. Ce test convient à la fois aux études de rendement et aux études d'évaluation, peut être généralisé à n'importe quel nombre de variables prédictives et peut être utilisé en association avec l'ajustement de White (1980) relatif à l'hétéroscédasticité. Ils illustrent, en quatrième lieu, l'application de tests du contenu relatif et marginal en information dans un contexte de recherche familier où le contenu informationnel du bénéfice net, des flux de trésorerie et du chiffre d'affaires net est comparé dans 40 entreprises.

Suggested Citation

  • Gary C. Biddle & Gim S. Seow & Andrew F. Siegel, 1995. "Relative versus Incremental Information Content," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(1), pages 1-23, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:coacre:v:12:y:1995:i:1:p:1-23
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1911-3846.1995.tb00478.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1911-3846.1995.tb00478.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1911-3846.1995.tb00478.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Watts, Rl & Leftwich, Rw, 1977. "Time-Series Of Annual Accounting Earnings," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(2), pages 253-271.
    2. Stober, Tl, 1986. "The Incremental Information-Content Of Financial Statement Disclosures - The Case Of Lifo Inventory Liquidations," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24, pages 138-160.
    3. Easton, Pd & Harris, Ts, 1991. "Earnings As An Explanatory Variable For Returns," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 19-36.
    4. James A. Ohlson, 1991. "The theory of value and earnings, and an introduction to the Ball†Brown analysis," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(1), pages 1-19, September.
    5. Gonedes, Nj, 1978. "Corporate Signaling, External Accounting, And Capital-Market Equilibrium - Evidence On Dividends, Income, And Extraordinary Items," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(1), pages 26-79.
    6. Beaver, William H. & Griffin, Paul A. & Landsman, Wayne R., 1982. "The incremental information content of replacement cost earnings," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 4(1), pages 15-39, July.
    7. Swaminathan, S & Weintrop, J, 1991. "The Information-Content Of Earnings, Revenues, And Expenses," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 418-427.
    8. Vuong, Quang H, 1989. "Likelihood Ratio Tests for Model Selection and Non-nested Hypotheses," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 57(2), pages 307-333, March.
    9. Dechow, Patricia M., 1994. "Accounting earnings and cash flows as measures of firm performance : The role of accounting accruals," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 3-42, July.
    10. Bernard, Vl, 1987. "Cross-Sectional Dependence And Problems In Inference In Market-Based Accounting Research," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 1-48.
    11. Bublitz, B & Frecka, Tj & Mckeown, Jc, 1985. "Market Association Tests And Fasb Statement No 33 Disclosures - A Reexamination," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23, pages 1-23.
    12. Rayburn, J, 1986. "The Association Of Operating Cash Flow And Accruals With Security Returns," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24, pages 112-133.
    13. Beaver, William & Lambert, Richard & Morse, Dale, 1980. "The information content of security prices," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 2(1), pages 3-28, March.
    14. Firth, M, 1981. "The Relative Information-Content Of The Release Of Financial Results Data By Firms," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(2), pages 521-529.
    15. Schaefer, Tf, 1984. "The Information-Content Of Current Cost Income Relative To Dividends And Historical Cost Income," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(2), pages 647-656.
    16. Brown, Lawrence D. & Hagerman, Robert L. & Griffin, Paul A. & Zmijewski, Mark E., 1987. "Security analyst superiority relative to univariate time-series models in forecasting quarterly earnings," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 61-87, April.
    17. Hoskin, Re & Hughes, Js & Ricks, We, 1986. "Evidence On The Incremental Information-Content Of Additional Firm Disclosures Made Concurrently With Earnings," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24, pages 1-32.
    18. Alford, A & Jones, J & Leftwich, R & Zmijewski, M, 1993. "The Relative Informativeness Of Accounting Disclosures In Different Countries," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31, pages 183-223.
    19. Lipe, Rc, 1986. "The Information Contained In The Components Of Earnings," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24, pages 37-64.
    20. Amir, E & Harris, Ts & Venuti, Ek, 1993. "A Comparison Of The Value-Relevance Of United-States Versus Non-United-States Gaap Accounting Measures Using Form-20-F Reconciliations," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31, pages 230-264.
    21. Beaver, William H. & Lambert, Richard A. & Ryan, Stephen G., 1987. "The information content of security prices : A second look," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 139-157, July.
    22. White, Halbert, 1980. "A Heteroskedasticity-Consistent Covariance Matrix Estimator and a Direct Test for Heteroskedasticity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(4), pages 817-838, May.
    23. Davidson, Russell & MacKinnon, James G., 1993. "Estimation and Inference in Econometrics," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195060119.
    24. MacKinnon, James G, 1992. "Model Specification Tests and Artificial Regressions," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 30(1), pages 102-146, March.
    25. Wilson, Gp, 1986. "The Relative Information-Content Of Accruals And Cash Flows - Combined Evidence At The Earnings Announcement And Annual-Report Release Date," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24, pages 165-200.
    26. Brown, Lawrence D. & Hagerman, Robert L. & Griffin, Paul A. & Zmijewski, Mark E., 1987. "An evaluation of alternative proxies for the market's assessment of unexpected earnings," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 159-193, July.
    27. Ball, R & Brown, P, 1968. "Empirical Evaluation Of Accounting Income Numbers," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(2), pages 159-178.
    28. Beaver, William H. & Christie, Andrew A. & Griffin, Paul A., 1980. "The information content of SEC accounting series release no. 190," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 2(2), pages 127-157, August.
    29. Brown, Stephen J. & Warner, Jerold B., 1980. "Measuring security price performance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 205-258, September.
    30. Pope, Pf, 1993. "A Comparison Of The Value-Relevance Of United-States Versus Non-United-States Gaap Accounting Measures Using Form-20-F Reconciliations - Discussion," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31, pages 265-275.
    31. Lev, B, 1989. "On The Usefulness Of Earnings And Earnings Research - Lessons And Directions From 2 Decades Of Empirical-Research," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27, pages 153-192.
    32. Ali, A, 1994. "The Incremental Information-Content Of Earnings, Working Capital From Operations, And Cash Flows," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 61-74.
    33. Biddle, Gc & Lindahl, Fw, 1982. "Stock-Price Reactions To Lifo Adoptions - The Association Between Excess Returns And Lifo Tax Savings," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(2), pages 551-588.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. S. P. Kothari & Charles Wasley, 2019. "Commemorating the 50‐Year Anniversary of Ball and Brown (1968): The Evolution of Capital Market Research over the Past 50 Years," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(5), pages 1117-1159, December.
    2. Kothari, S. P., 2001. "Capital markets research in accounting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-3), pages 105-231, September.
    3. Brown, Lawrence D., 1996. "Influential accounting articles, individuals, Ph.D. granting institutions and faculties: A citational analysis," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 21(7-8), pages 723-754.
    4. Mohamed Sellami, 2006. "Typologie des déterminants comptables de la valeur : Apports de l'approche économique de l'information dans la mesure de la valeur," Post-Print halshs-00558252, HAL.
    5. Habib, Ahsan, 2008. "The role of accruals and cash flows in explaining security returns: Evidence from New Zealand," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 51-66.
    6. C.S. Agnes Cheng & Simon S.M. Yang, 2003. "The Incremental Information Content of Earnings and Cash Flows from Operations Affected by Their Extremity," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1‐2), pages 73-116, January.
    7. Kabir, M.R., 1997. "The Usefulness of the Most Widely Reported Dutch Financial Statement Numbers to Stock Market Investors," Other publications TiSEM b31e595a-e80d-44ce-9646-4, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    8. Pascal Dumontier & Bernard Raffournier, 2002. "Accounting and capital markets: a survey of the European evidence," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(1), pages 119-151.
    9. Thomas Plenborg, 1999. "An examination of the information content of Danish earnings and cash flows," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 43-55.
    10. Kothari, S. P. & Zimmerman, Jerold L., 1995. "Price and return models," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 155-192, September.
    11. Cheung, Joseph K. & Kim, Jeong-Bon & Lee, Jason, 1999. "The Impact of Institutional Characteristics on Return-Earnings Associations in Japan," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 571-596, 010.
    12. A. Rashad Abdel†Khalik, 1990. "Specification problems with information content of earnings: revisions and rationality of expectations and self†selection bias," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 7(1), pages 142-172, September.
    13. Rashid Al-Qenae & Carmen Li & Bob Wearing, 2002. "The Information Content of Earnings on Stock Prices: The Kuwait Stock Exchange," Multinational Finance Journal, Multinational Finance Journal, vol. 6(3-4), pages 197-221, September.
    14. Basu, Sudipta, 1997. "The conservatism principle and the asymmetric timeliness of earnings," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 3-37, December.
    15. Ramesh Chandra & Bala V. Balachandran, 1990. "A synthesis of alternative testing procedures for event studies," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 6(2), pages 611-640, March.
    16. Byung T. Ro, 1989. "Earnings news and the firm size effect," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 6(1), pages 177-195, September.
    17. Fargher, Neil & Wee, Marvin, 2019. "The impact of Ball and Brown (1968) on generations of research," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 55-72.
    18. Mary E. Barth & Greg Clinch & Doron Israeli, 2016. "What do accruals tell us about future cash flows?," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 768-807, September.
    19. Tahat, Yasean A. & Alhadab, Mohammad, 2017. "Have accounting numbers lost their value relevance during the recent financial credit crisis?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 182-191.
    20. Teppo Martikainen & Juha-Pekka Kallunki & Jukka Perttunen, 1997. "Finnish earnings response coefficients: the information content of losses," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 69-81, May.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:coacre:v:12:y:1995:i:1:p:1-23. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1111/(ISSN)1911-3846 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.