The standard concerning the impairment testing for goodwill is often considered to be one of the most difficult standards in IFRS to comply with, which is largely due to the subjective and complex nature of the standard. Despite, the obvious issues with the standard it has remained fairly unaltered since its implementation back in 2005. The purpose of this research was to investigate to what extent companies listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm comply with the disclosure requirements in IAS 36, paragraph 134. This research also intended to answer whether there is an association between the companies’ compliance level and certain company characteristics, more specifically company size, profitability, goodwill intensity and industry type. The study also considered how time affected the compliance level. We devised hypotheses for each of the company characteristics, and these were formulate with both previous research and theory in mind. The theories that were utilized in this study were the agency theory, the political cost theory and the cost-benefit theory. The hypotheses that lacked a concrete linkage to one of the theories were instead justified using the reasoning’s found in pre-existing disclosure studies. The necessary data was collected from companies’ annual reports, which we accessed from either Business Retriever or directly from the companies’ official websites. An own interpretation of IAS 36, paragraph 134 was made in order to able to assess each company on equal terms. The collected data was then transferred to a disclosure index in order to get a compliancy score for each company investigated. The empirical findings of this research showed that two out of five hypotheses were significantly associated with the companies’ compliance level. The analysis rejected hypotheses related to profitability, goodwill intensity and industry type. The findings however showed that both year and company size are associated with the compliance level. The positive association between compliance and year, implies that compliance increases as companies get more accustomed to the standard. The findings further suggest that larger companies comply better with standard because they are under more political pressure and more inclined to please their stakeholders.

I denna studie undersöks sambandet mellan ägandeskap och företags aktieavkastning vid börsnotering på kort och lång sikt. Vi jämför förstadagsavkastning samt BHAR på 36 månader mellan en portfölj bestående av företag som genomgått en PE-finansierad börsnotering och en portfölj bestående av företag som genomgått en börsnotering utan PE- finansiering. BHAR beräknas med ett brett marknadsindex, industriindex samt referensportföljer och kontrollföretag båda matchade efter storlek och book-to-market ratio. Urvalet består av 162 börsnoteringar på OMX Stockholm och First North. Resultatet visar att PE-finansierade börsnoteringar är mindre underprissatta än icke PE-finansierade börsnoteringar och därmed har en lägre förstadagsavkastning, vilket stödjer certifieringshypotesen. Vi finner inga signifikanta resultat för att den abnormala avkastningen på 36 månader skiljer sig mellan portföljerna.

Denna uppsats undersöker om svenska investerares sentiment påverkas av resultatet i mästerskapsmatcher spelade av herrlandslagen i ishockey och fotboll. Genom att utföra en eventstudie under perioden 1988 till 2018 där den abnorma avkastningen på den svenska börsen observeras efter att en match spelats går det att se hur Sveriges aktiemarknad reagerar på olika resultat. Tidigare forskning på internationell nivå finner samband mellan den inhemska aktiemarknadens utveckling och landslags sportsliga framgång. Studiens utgångspunkt är att marknaden är effektiv på lång sikt men kan uppvisa irrationellt beteende som förklaras av investerares psykologiska fallgropar. Resultaten i uppsatsen går emot tidigare forskning på området, förluster följs av positiv avkastning och vinster av negativ avkastning. Inga resultat i studien är signifikanta vilket leder till att marknadens anses vara rationell och nyttomaximerande i enlighet med effektiva marknadshypotesen. Avsaknaden av signifikanta resultat kan bero på ett flertal olika saker, som exempelvis lågt urval av studerade matcher, låg grad av patriotiska värderingar i Sverige, liten emotionell anknytning till sportevent eller en stor andel utländska investerare.

This paper examines the stock performance around initiation announcements of open market share repurchase programs, the price impact of repurchase trading and the long-run abnormal stock performance following the initiation announcements in a European regulatory framework. The study uses a unique dataset on initiation announcements and actual repurchases conducted by firms listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange during the period 2000-2009. The results show that initiation announcements of open market repurchase programs exhibit a two-day abnormal return of approximately 2%. The price impact on the actual repurchase days is positively correlated with the daily repurchase volume, and is both statistically and economically significant during the first 3 repurchase days in a repurchase program. The long-run abnormal stock performance is positively associated with the fraction of shares bought in the program and is approximately 7% the first year following the initiation announcement. The results indicate that repurchase trading provides price support and that the market participants detect and perceive the initiation announcement and the first repurchase days in a repurchase program as a signal of undervaluation. / <p>QC 20130515</p>

We examine differences in market performance of Swedish firms that initiate repurchase programs infrequently (1-2 programs), occasionally (3-4 programs) and frequently (5 or more programs) over the period 2000-2009, and examine the relationship between abnormal return and repurchase size in repurchase months. We find that infrequent repurchase programs are greeted with a stronger positive reaction than occasional and frequent programs. However, over long term, infrequent repurchase programs show no abnormal return while occasional and frequent repurchase programs show a significant positive abnormal return. A positive relationship between abnormal return and repurchase size in repurchase months is documented on average for all types of repurchase programs. / <p>QC 20130515</p>

We examine the market liquidity impact of open market share repurchases in a computerized order driven market. Using a detailed dataset of daily repurchase transactions on the Stockholm Stock Exchange together with intraday data on bid-ask spreads and order depths enable us to examine liquidity effects on the actual repurchase days. Overall, we find that repurchase trades inside the order driven trading system contributes to market liquidity through narrower bid-ask spreads and deeper market depths. After controlling for total trading volume, price, and volatility we still find a significant decrease of the bid-ask spread on repurchase days relative to surrounding non-repurchase days. However, repurchases executed as block trades outside the order driven trading system have a detrimental effect on the bid-ask spread, consistent with a negative response to the presence of informed managerial trading. / <p>QC 20130515</p>

Sverige klassificerades år 2004 som det aktietätaste landet i världen, då hela 77 procent av befolkningen var exponerad mot aktiemarknaden i någon form. År 2012 uppgick innehaven på svenska börsen till 3 715 miljarder kronor. Utvecklingen på aktiemarknaden är därför något som berör merparten av Sveriges befolkning. Investerare har sedan börsens introduktion försökt förutse marknadens utveckling för att finna de vinnande aktierna. Detta har utmynnat i flera olika sätt att analysera marknaden, exempelvis genom teknisk och fundamental analys. En tredje omtalad metod är kalenderanomalier, vilket baseras på kända mönster som tenderar att inträffa under vissa perioder på handelsåret. Detta sätt att prediktera börsens utveckling har väckt författarnas intresse och ligger till grund för studiens genomförande. Studien har undersökt fem av de mest kända kalenderanomalierna; Januarieffekten, Januaribarometern, Turn-of-the-month, Sell-in-May och Holiday Effect. Syftet har varit att utvärdera om dessa anomalier existerar på Stockholmsbörsens tio officiella branschindex, samt om investerare kan utnyttja dem för att uppnå högre riskjusterad avkastning än respektive index. För att utvärdera anomaliernas existens samt investerares möjlighet till överavkastning har författarna skapat 55 syntetiska portföljer. Detta motsvarar en portfölj för varje anomali och bransch, samt för OMXSB. Undersökningsperioden som portföljerna varit aktiva på sträcker sig från 2000-01-03 till 2012-12-31. När portföljerna inte varit aktiva på marknaden har dessa investerats i SSVX 3 mån, vilket har använts som riskfri ränta i studien. Med ett deduktivt angreppssätt och en positivistisk kunskapssyn har författarna genomfört en kvantitativ undersökning på Stockholmsbörsens officiella branschindex. Studiens teoretiska referensram baseras på tre välkända teorier, varav två motsätter sig anomaliers existens medan den tredje bekräftar. De teorier som talar mot kalenderanomaliers existens är Random Walk och Effektiva Marknadshypotesen medan Behavioral Finance är den teori som ställer sig positiv till anomalierna. För att säkerställa studiens statistiska resultat har en regressionsanalys samt ett t-test används. Dessutom har Jensens Alfa legat till grund för att beräkna portföljernas riskjusterade avkastning. Studiens resultat bekräftar att kalenderanomalier existerar på flera av Stockholmsbörsens branschindex samt OMXSB. Starkaste anomalierna är Turn-ofthe-month och Sell-in-May som återfinns på flera av branscherna medan resterande kalenderanomalier endast uppvisat svaga resultat. Intressantast ur en investerares perspektiv är givetvis om resultatet går att använda för att uppnå överavkastning. Totalt är det 16 portföljer som kan användas av investerare för att uppnå högre riskjusterad avkastning än respektive index. Resultatet indikerar därför att den svenska marknaden inte är helt effektiv men att kalenderanomalier inte alltid går att utnyttja.

With contribution of Modigliani and Miller in 1958, capital structure has attained animportant place in finance field. The path breaking contribution has stimulated subsequentresearchers to put emphasis on this topic. Therefore, other theories and researches have beenrevealed and many aspects have been included to capital structure studies so far. However, it has always been controversial topic and the consensus has not been reached yet. Nevertheless,there are many important theories and hypotheses, which explain and investigate this topicvery well such as agency cost theory, trade-off theory, pecking order theory, signalling theory,efficiency-risk hypothesis and franchise-value hypothesis. When we reviewed the literature and extended our understanding of these theories andhypotheses, we found that the relationship between capital structure and firm performance isinteresting aspect and worthwhile to research. Therefore, we started an extensive literaturereview and found a research gap, which is the relationship between capital structure and afirm's financial performance from the perspective of capital structure theories in the Swedishcontext during the period 2002-2011. Since researchers investigate the relationship betweencapital structure and firm performance in many different countries and there is nothing in theSwedish context, we thus decided to write the thesis about it. Accordingly, our study began with discussing the problem background. We also stated theresearch question, the objectives, and the expected contribution to clarify the scope ofresearch. After that, we present the existing theories regarding capital structure and providetheir interplay with firm performance. After we constituted research question and reviewed literature, we knew what kind of data weneeded to utilize. Therefore, we started to search the best database provider for our study. Asa result, we decided on using Thomson Reuter’s database, DataStream. The study sampleincluded 174 non-financial Swedish firms listed on Nasdaq OMX (Stockholm StockExchange). We used ordinary least squares regression analysis over a period of ten years from2002 to 2011. After we collected the data, we imported it to SPSS and ran regression anddescriptive analysis. According to our empirical findings and analysis, we identify that there is a significantnegative relationship between capital structure and firm performance of listed Swedish firms.In other words, the financial performance of Swedish listed firms for the past decade isnegatively influenced by its leverage ratio. In practical terms, the more debt in relation toassets that firm takes in to finance its operations, the worse does the firm perform financially.When we elaborated our investigation and looked at each industry, we found no differencefrom the general results when dividing the Swedish firms into four major industry categories.However, health care industry has a different relationship. With this study, we provide further evidence about the interplay between capital structure andfinancial performance and make a contribution both to theory regarding capital structure andfinancial performance as well as giving practical insight for Swedish CFO’s and CEO’s.

I denna uppsats har vi undersökt möjligheten till övervinster i samband med utdelningar för svenska företag på OMX Stockholm Large Cap och Small Cap mellan åren 2006 och 2010. Genom en statistisk jämförelse mellan aktiekursens förändring i samband med utdelningen undersöker vi marknadens effektivitet. Resultaten tyder på att Large Cap är en effektiv marknad i samband med utdelningar, medan Small Cap visar tecken på ineffektivitet. Resultaten stödjer delvis tidigare studier, som säger att marknaden är effektiv. Vår studie skiljer oss från tidigare forskning eftersom vi undersöker Large Cap och Small Cap som separata marknader istället för hela börsen. Vi undersöker dessutom huruvida utdelningens storlek haft betydelse för marknads­effektiviteten. Resultaten pekar mot att marknaden är mer effektiv vid högre utdelning, men störningar utanför modellen kan ha skapat dessa resultat.

The OMX-case entailed considerable uncertainty about the relationship between tax treaties and Swedish domestic law. Previous approaches to handle rule conflict between them was put out of action for the first time when an internal rule took precedence over tax treaties. The Greece-case came a few years later where there were hopes that it would be decided in plenary session to return to the view that prevailed before the OMX-case, which did not happen. Instead the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the tax treaties shall in principle be given preference, but that in exceptional situations tax treaties can be infringed to an internal rule's benefit, so called tax treaty override. Such procedure is acceptable if the legislature gives "clear expression" of the intention of a certain type of income is to be taxed in Sweden, or that a particular new rule applies regardless of the provisions in tax treaties. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the supreme administrative courts management of rule collision between domestic law and tax treaties in the Greece-case. Further analysis of the requirement "clear expression" shall take place and the basis of why the supreme administrative court justifies tax treaty override shall also be analyzed. The conclusion presented in this thesis initially includes problems that arise to conclude the meaning of the term "clear expression" and that application difficulties arise because the supreme administrative court did not provide further guidance of its meaning. Secondly, that the supreme administrative court justify tax treaty override occasionally since there is no constitutional or procedural obstacles for a newer internal law to expand the Swedish taxation when an already implemented taxation agreement restricts it.