IFRS, synchronicity, and financial crisis: the dynamics of accounting information for the Brazilian capital market

Abstract

This study aims is to investigate the synchronicity levels of shares traded on the spot market of the São Paulo Stock, Commodities , and Futures Exchange (BM&FBOVESPA) in relation to the accounting convergence process towards International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Brazil. The term synchronicity refers to the amount that company-specific information and market information are reflected in stock prices. The more share prices reflect company-specific information rather than market information, the greater the informational content of these prices will be in terms of representing the economic value of a particular company. For this investigation, information on companies and shares from 2005 to 2015 was collected, excluding the financial sector. The data were analyzed using cross-sectional and panel regressions. The results indicate a reduction in the synchronicity levels of stocks in the period of full adoption of IFRS in Brazil from 2010 onwards. From 2008 to 2009, which includes the partial adoption of IFRS in Brazil, statistically significant results were not found for the synchronicity levels of shares. However, for times of financial crisis, evidence was found of a reduction in the relevance of accounting information even with the adoption of international accounting standards. The results obtained for the Brazilian context do not support the idea that the adoption of IFRS necessarily causes an increase in the informational content of financial statements and that relevant information is consequently reflected in stock prices.