新會計準則實施對資產減值提列之影響- 以中國為例

Abstract

中國財政部於2006年頒布了新會計準則，並規定上市公司於2007年1月1日開始實施，其中《企業會計準則第8號——資產減值》，對固定資產、無形資產以及除特別規定以外的其它資產減值的處理進行了專門規範，亦即「資產減值損失一經確認、在以後會計期間不得轉回」，以此遏止上市公司的盈餘管理行為。新準則實施後，由於相關資產減值即使價值回升也不得認列回升利益，因此本文探討此舉是否會對公司的資產減損提列行為產生影響，亦即公司是否會利用相關資產科目可回轉的最後一年進行大量回轉，同時並減少相關資產減損的提列。

本文利用2005至2007年中國上海、深圳兩交易所主機板A股上市公司為樣本，以其年報中揭露之資產減損相關財務資訊進行實證分析。實證結果印證過去文獻對於資產減值與盈餘管理關係的推論，在新會計準則的限制下，準則施行後禁止回轉的科目在新準則公告後的提列金額顯著降低，但準則未規定禁止回轉的科目提列金額則無顯著降低的情形。本文亦發現，部分公司有在準則施行前認列回升利益的傾向，惟實證上未達顯著水準。本文結果具有政策意涵，亦即當制度改變時，企業可能因應制度的改變進行盈餘管理，該現象值得報表使用者與有關當局注意。

The New Chinese Accounting Standards (CAS) was released on February 15, 2006. The new standards were effective for the reporting periods beginning on January 1, 2007. The differences between the old and new standard are many; a significant difference is that CAS 8 prohibits the reversal of impairments of long-lived assets. This study investigates the reactions of firms facing the changes in accounting standards to assess whether listed firms recognize less the impairment of long-lived assets after the announcement of the new standards. This study also examines whether listed firms reversed more impairments of long-lived assets before 2007.

Based on the data for firms listed in the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges between 2005 and 2007, this study finds companies recognizing less long-lived asset impairments between 2006 and 2007. Moreover, listed firms do not recognized less asset impairments to assets where the impairment charges can still be reversed under the new accounting standards, such as account receivables and inventory. The results of the study partially support the notion that companies reversed more impairment of long-lived assets in 2006 compared to 2005, which implies that certain companies managed their earnings and reversed previous write-downs prior to the prohibition of the reversal. The implication of this study is that regulatory agencies and financial report users should note that companies might conduct earnings management with the change in accounting standards.