The relation between segment disclosure and earnings quality Articles uri icon

publication date

  • October 2014

start page

  • 449

end page

  • 469

issue

  • 5

volume

  • 33

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0278-4254

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1873-2070

abstract

  • We investigate the relation between segment disclosure and earnings quality. Using a US sample for the period 2001-2006, we find a positive relation between earnings quality and the quantity of segment disclosures. We use lead-lag tests to examine the flow of causality, and our results show that current segment disclosure is positively related to prior levels of earnings quality, while current earnings quality scores are not related to prior levels of segment disclosure. Thus, the causality flows from earnings quality to segment disclosure. Our results hold for both business and geographic segment disclosure. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

subjects

  • Business
  • Economics

keywords

  • accrual estimation errors; differential information; financial disclosure; corporate disclosure; company size; agency costs; management; market; firm; consequences