Publication Type

Report

Publication Date

8-2016

Abstract

The objective of financial reporting is to provide financial information that is useful to existing and potential investors, lenders and other creditors (IASB’s Conceptual Framework ED/2015/3). General purpose financial reports provide information about the financial position of a reporting entity, as well as information about the effects of transactions and other events that will change a reporting entity’s economic resources and claims (para 1.12 ED/2015/3). Investor confidence and trust in the financial statements is a crucial component for financial markets to function smoothly. This report presents the attitudes and concerns of over 700 respondents toward fair value accounting. The survey shows there is a high level of trust toward financial statements, with higher levels of trust shown in financial statements prepared using a hybrid measurement model of historical cost and fair value accounting vis-à-vis a single measurement basis model (either historical cost or fair value accounting).More than 75% of the survey respondents perceive fair value accounting to provide useful information for trading securities, available-for-sale securities and real estate; but less than 60% of the respondents perceive fair value accounting to provide useful information for held-to-maturity securities, loans and receivables, property, plant and equipment, biological assets and intangible assets. However, there are lingering concerns toward the reliability of fair value measurements. Specifically, 26% of respondents state that they distrust fair value estimates. The survey respondents have low/very low trust in Level 3 fair value estimates (39%) as compared to Level 1 and Level 2 fair value estimates (13% and 23% respectively).

Keywords

Financial reports, trust, investor confidence, financial statements, Singapore, value accounting

Discipline

Accounting | Asian Studies | Finance and Financial Management

Research Areas

Financial Intermediation and Information; Accounting Information System

First Page

1

Last Page

18

Publisher

Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountant and Institute of Valuers and Appraisers of Singapore

City or Country

Singapore

Additional URL

http://isca.org.sg/media/779570/in-value-we-trust-or-not-industry-report.pdf

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