Abstract

This study investigated the association between mandatory disclosure and company value expressed in share price anticipation of earnings by using a sample of UK companies included in the FTSE 350 Index for a period of five years, from 2006 to 2010. A mandatory disclosure index was developed according to the IFRSs, which the companies listed in the stock market were obliged to adopt since 2005, and was utilized for the quantification of the extent of mandatory disclosure. The relationship between mandatory disclosure and some specific company characteristics was also investigated. The analysis revealed a high level of disclosure by UK companies indicating that managers do not treat mandatory disclosure as a routine obligation, but they strive to be strictly compliant with all reporting requirements imposed by the regulatory authorities. Moreover, the extent of disclosure was significantly correlated with company value, leverage and age, which justifies that market mechanism is also essential in disclosure practice. However, the correlation between mandatory disclosure and listing status, earnings and size is not statistically significant.

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