This dissertation explores the disclosure on intangibles acquired in Mergers & Acquisitos. The related empirical analyses are based on a sample of M&As that are accounted for under the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US-GAAP). In three different research papers I answer three distinct research questions. In order to enable capital providers and other external stakeholders to evaluate the PPA, the International Financial Reporting Standard 3 (IFRS 3) and the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 141 (SFAS 141) require the acquirer firm’s management to disclose information about the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the notes to the financial statement. The first research paper (see chapter II) addresses the following research question: Which information about intangibles acquired in M&As does the acquirer firm’s management disclose in the notes to the financial statement? The second research paper examines the factors that affect the initial recognition of goodwill. This research question is answered in the second research paper (see chapter III): Does the acquirer firm’s management opportunistically or efficiently use its discretion to recognize goodwill initially? The corporate information environment consists not only of corporate disclosure but also of disclosure by information intermediaries. The third research paper (see chapter IV) addresses this last set of research questions: Which information about intangibles acquired in M&As is provided in voluntary or mandatory corporate disclosures and in disclosures by information intermediaries? How are the disclosure channels interrelated?

This dissertation explores the disclosure on intangibles acquired in Mergers & Acquisitos. The related empirical analyses are based on a sample of M&As that are accounted for under the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US-GAAP). In three different research papers I answer three distinct research questions. In order to enable capital providers and other external stakeholders to evaluate the PPA, the International Financial Reporting Standard 3 (IFRS 3) and the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 141 (SFAS 141) require the acquirer firm’s management to disclose information about the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the notes to the financial statement. The first research paper (see chapter II) addresses the following research question: Which information about intangibles acquired in M&As does the acquirer firm’s management disclose in the notes to the financial statement? The second research paper examines the factors that affect the initial recognition of goodwill. This research question is answered in the second research paper (see chapter III): Does the acquirer firm’s management opportunistically or efficiently use its discretion to recognize goodwill initially? The corporate information environment consists not only of corporate disclosure but also of disclosure by information intermediaries. The third research paper (see chapter IV) addresses this last set of research questions: Which information about intangibles acquired in M&As is provided in voluntary or mandatory corporate disclosures and in disclosures by information intermediaries? How are the disclosure channels interrelated?