The Information Content of Business Combination Disclosure Level

ABSTRACT: This study explores causes and effects of business combinations disclosure level. Investigating the association between disclosure level on business combination and acquirers' future performance, I find that acquirers' future performance as measured by the change in ROA and by abnormal stock returns increases with abnormal levels of disclosure on business combinations. Investigating the determinants of business combination disclosure, I find that the disclosure level on business combinations decreases with abnormal levels of the purchase price allocated to goodwill. Both results provide evidence consistent with disclosure theory and suggest that acquirers tend to provide less forthcoming disclosure on less favorable acquisitions (“bad news”). I also provide evidence consistent with investors failing to immediately incorporate the information content of business combination disclosure level into their information set and evidence that investors are quicker to react to firms with negative abnormal disclosure.