In capital market research (CMR) studies of the value relevance of accounting numbers are founded upon the concept that, in equilibrium, the book values are equal to or have some long-term relationship with the market value and that market returns are related to book returns. This thesis seeks to resolve a gap in the CMR by examining 30 selected individual firms listed on the Australian stock market during the period 1950 to 2004, using equilibrium correction modelling techniques. Even these limited prior works used cross-sectional techniques rather than the long-run, time-series, analysis used in this study. Moreover, dynamic analysis in the CMR has tended to focus on indexes or portfolio data rather than using firm-specific case study data of the type modelled here. No prior research has taken this approach using Australian data. The results of this thesis indicated that an equilibrium correction relationship between market values and book values for firms listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) could be determined by using accounting and macroeconomic regressors. The findings of the thesis were consistent with the literature in terms of the variables suggested and important in the firm's valuation from the three main approaches, the analysts (industry) approach, the finance and accounting theory (textbook) approach and the CMR literature approach. The earnings, dividends and book value variables are significant in their relationships with the firm's market values. The models constructed were typically more informative and had an increased forecasting performance compared with the a priori models tested, based on theory and the literature.

Studies of the relationship between market values and accounting numbers have long been a part of an established theme in capital markets research (CMR). These studies have taken various forms, most being conducted on a cross sectional basis, tied closely with the assumptions of equilibrium behaviour and efficient markets. Explanatory variables for market value have been dominated by firm-specific variables without incorporating macroeconomic variables. Recently, however, some studies have employed macroeconomic variables and dynamic specification in assessing the relationship between market values and accounting numbers (e.g. Bilson et al. 2001, Nissim and Penman, 2003, and Willett, 2003). The objective of this thesis is to investigate the nature of the relationship between share prices and accounting numbers on the Jakarta Stock Exchange for the period 1992-2002, using dynamic modelling principles in addition to the more usual cross sectional analysis. The approach to regression modelling (general-to-specific strategy)incorporated in this thesis relies less heavily than most CMR on prior economic theories of equilibrium behaviour. Apart from these novel aspects of approach and method, the study also provides valuable information about the emerging financial markets of Indonesia. The results of this thesis show that cointegration and the accompanying equilibrium correction relationship between market and book values for firms listed on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) can often be identified using accounting and macroeconomic regressors. The models are typically more informative, plausible and consistent than cross sectional models and are useful in interpreting the context in which the market to book relationship exists in Indonesia. A possibly surprising result is that in Indonesia, compared to similar models estimated using US data, the book value of net assets seems to have a stronger relationship with market value. This may be a function of the relative importance of financial statements as a source of information on the JSX.

Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om det finns ett samband mellan redovisad nedskrivning av goodwill och börsvärdet hos företag noterade vid London Stock Exchange mellan 2009 och 2012. Inledning: EU införde 2005 en ny standard för koncernredovisning. Syftet med den nya redovisningsstandarden, IFRS 3, är att öka relevansen, pålitligheten och jämförbarheten i den finansiella rapporteringen. Detta medförde bland annat att posten goodwill inte längre får skrivas av enligt plan, utan årligen ska testas för eventuell nedskrivning. Metod: För att fylla studiens syfte har vi använt oss av en kvantitativ undersökning, där relevant data har samlats in via marknadsdata och analysverktyget Bloomberg. Studien genomfördes på de största företagen registrerade på London Stock Exchange med undantag för de företag som inte hade den data som krävdes för att vara relevanta för studiens syfte. Svaren analyserades genom multipel regressionsanalys samt deskriptiv statistik framställda i statistikverktyget Minitab. Slutsats: Undersökningen visade att det finns ett statistiskt signifikant negativt samband mellan nedskrivning av goodwill och börsvärde. Detta tyder på att investerare anser att en nedskrivning av goodwill är ett tecken på att börsvärdet försämrats. Resultatet kan tolkas som att investerare litar på företagsledningens förmåga att värdera goodwillpostens storlek. / Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate if there is a correlation between reported goodwill impairment and market value for companies listed on the London Stock Exchange between the years 2009 and 2012. Introduction: A new accounting standard was introduced in the EU in 2005, which meant a new standard for mergers. The goal of the new accounting standard, IFRS 3, is to increase the relevance, reliability and comparability in financial reporting. This resulted in a change where goodwill no longer will be amortized, but tested annually for impairment. Method: To fulfil the purpose of this study, we used a quantitative method where secondary data was collected from the market data and analyst tool Bloomberg. The study was conducted on the largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange, except for the firms that did not have the data relevant for the purpose of the study. The responses were analysed by multiple regression analysis and descriptive statistics analysis, both produced by the statistical software Minitab. Conclusion: The findings indicate a statistical significant correlation between the impairment of goodwill and decrease in share price. This suggests that investors believe that goodwill impairment is indicative of a decrease in expected present value of future returns, i.e. decrease in share price. The result can be interpreted as evidence that investors rely on the corporate management's ability to value the firm’s goodwill.

The purpose of this thesis is to determine if impairment of goodwill is a value relevant factor to the investors in the companies listed on the Stockholm Large Cap stock exchange. This paper focuses on the annual reports from the 100 largest companies listed on the exchange.   The empirical model used is Capital Market Research and Market Based Accounting Research which is derived from Positive Accounting Theory. Capital Market Research and Market Based Accounting Research are based on critical assumptions made in the Efficient Market Hypothesis which is why it has its own section in the theoretical chapter. The theoretical chapter contains extensive information regarding the components of goodwill, its uses in accounting and how it is meant to be dealt with.  The analysis connects our empirical findings with our empirical model in order to draw conclusions from the output gathered in Minitab. Our analysis shows that only small proportions of the large quantities of goodwill on the Swedish stock exchange are impaired on a yearly basis. We also find that impairment of goodwill does not have a significant impact on market value, however goodwill itself does.  Investors either do not view impairment of goodwill as value relevant, or the impairment was known beforehand and was therefore reflected in the price of the stock. Goodwill is considered value relevant most likely due to investors viewing the preeminence of goodwill as a sign that the company will draw benefit from the underlying assets for years to come.    We conclude that impairment of goodwill is not a value relevant factor to the investors in the Swedish stock exchange, but that goodwill, and increasing goodwill is. The paper ends with suggestions for further research. / Syftet med denna avhandling är att fastställa om nedskrivning av goodwill är en värderelevant faktor för investerarna på den svenska Large Cap-börsen. Denna avhandling fokuserar på årsredovisningarna från de 100 största bolagen som är noterade på denna börs.  De empiriska modeller som används är kapitalmarknadsforskning och marknadsbaserad redovisningsforskning, vilka båda härstammar från positiv redovisningsteori. Kapitalmarknadsforskning och marknadsbaserad redovisningsforskning baseras på viktiga antagande gjorda i den effektiva marknadshypotesen, som har sitt egna avsnitt under teorikapitlet. Teorikapitlet innehåller omfattande information gällande komponenterna i goodwill, dess användning inom redovisning samt hanteringen av goodwill.  Analysen kopplar samman våra empiriska fynd med vår empiriska modell i syfte att dra slutsatser kring resultaten som sammanställts från programmet  Minitab. Vår analys visar att förhållandevis små mängder av de enorma goodwillposterna på den svenska Large cap-börsen skrivs ner på årlig basis. Vi finner också att nedskrivning av goodwill inte har någon väsentlig påverkan på bolagets marknadsvärde, vilket däremot goodwillposten i sig har. Antingen så ser inte investerarna nedskrivning av goodwill som värderelevant eller så var nedskrivningarna kända i förväg och således redan inräknade i aktiens pris. Att goodwill i sig är betraktat som värderelevant beror troligen på att investerarna ser innehavet av goodwill som ett tecken på att bolaget kommer dra nytta av dessa underliggande tillgångar under de kommande åren.    Vi drar slutsatsen att nedskrivning av goodwill inte är en värderelevant faktor för investerarna på den svenska börsen, men däremot att goodwill och en ökning av goodwillposten är värderelevant. Uppsatsen avslutas med förslag till ytterligare forskning