Determinants of Discretionary Asset Write-Offs Under IFRS: Evidence from Sweden
Abstract: Since 2005 countries in the EU adhere to IFRS. This has greatly altered the regulations regarding asset write-offs for Swedish firms. The aim of this bachelor thesis is to investigate the determinants of discretionary asset write-offs under IFRS. I collect data from 176 Swedish firms listed on Nasdaq Stockholm Stock Exchange between 2011-2015. Using a method developed by Francis, Hanna and Vincent (1996), I conduct a univariate and a multivariate analysis of the determinants of asset write-offs. In line with previous research I find that a firm's write-off history and a recent change in top management is significantly correlated with write-offs. I find evidence suggesting that management incentives play a greater role in write-offs of goodwill and intangible assets than in write-offs of PP&E. I also discover that manager's write-offs goodwill and other intangible assets in years with unexpectedly poor earnings suggesting that Swedish managers engage in big bath accounting.
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