Determining Factors of the Level of Disclosure of Information on Business Combinations with the Entry into Force of the Accounting Standard CPC 15

Abstract

This paper aimed to investigate information disclosure on business combination transactions that took place in Brazil in 2010, when the Accounting Standard CPC 15 entered into force, and evaluate which were the determining factors of the level of disclosure of information related to it. To evaluate the disclosure level, a disclosure index of business combinations (INDCOMB) was prepared, having the disclosure index developed by Shalev (2009) as a basis. We evaluated, in the light of the literature on disclosure and business combinations, whether the following factors influenced on the disclosure level: acquiring company size, recognized percentage of overprice for expected future profitability in relation to the transaction value, dispersion of capital of the acquiring company, audit firm size, and participation of the acquiring company in American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) programs. The control variables used were listing of the acquiring company in the various segments of BM&FBOVESPA, operation sector, origin (state, private company with national capital or private company with foreign capital), and relative acquired company size in relation to the acquiring company. We analyzed business combination transactions that took place in 2010, reported by 40 open capital companies involved in 76 transactions. We conclude that the audit firm size and the relative acquired company size were factors that influenced on the level of disclosure of information regarding business combinations in 2010. The other factors showed no conclusive results.