Abstract

Value relevance studies assess how well accounting amounts reflect the market information that investors use for their economic decisions. Analysing a sample of 90 banks listed in 24 European stock markets, this study uses a price model (Ohlson, 1995) and provides evidence that a risk-sensitive metric like regulatory capital is more useful for investors’ decisions than book value of equity and that investors price the parts of regulatory capital that are devoted ideally to absorb losses differently due to the different risks taken. In particular, the part devoted to absorb losses due to credit risk is priced higher than the parts devoted to absorb other risks (e.g. market risks, operational risk). According to our evidence, this is due to the business model of the entities analysed, which are mostly retail and wholesale banks with significant credit exposure to clients and other banks. The paper adds to the literature and has implications for regulators and standard setters showing that the assessment and disclosure of regulatory capital not only strengthens the soundness and the stability of the international banking system (Basle Committee on banking supervision, 1988), but provides to investors useful information for their future investment strategies.

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