Accounting Information in Innovative Small Cap Firms: Evidence from London's Alternative Investment Market

Accounting and Business Research, 2020

57 Pages Posted: 7 Nov 2020 Last revised: 27 Nov 2020

See all articles by Andrei Filip

Andrei Filip

Catholic University of Lille - IESEG School of Management

Alessandro Ghio

Université Laval

Luc Paugam

HEC Paris, Accounting and Management Control Department; CFA Society France

Date Written: September 18, 2020

Abstract

We posit that investors and social media users place more weight on cash flows than on earnings for innovative small cap firms and that, in turn, innovative small cap firms (i) manage cash flows more than earnings, and (ii) disclose more cash flow than earnings information on social media. Using a matched sample of innovative and non-innovative small cap firms listed on the London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM), we document that the value relevance of cash flows (earnings) is higher (lower) for innovative compared to non-innovative small cap firms. Using Twitter to examine the demand of accounting performance measures, we find that Twitter users more frequently retweet and include as ‘Favorite’ information about cash flows, than information about earnings for innovative small cap firms. We then show that innovative small cap firms engage less intensively in earnings management and exhibit higher abnormal cash flows compared to non-innovative small cap firms. Innovative small cap firms emphasize more information in their tweets about cash flows and less about earnings compared to non-innovative small cap firms. Cross-sectional tests demonstrate that seasoned equity offerings provide additional incentives to engage in increasing abnormal cash flow management activities.

Keywords: Financial Reporting; Innovation; Small Cap Firms; Social Media; Cash Flows; Earnings; AIM London

Suggested Citation

Filip, Andrei and Ghio, Alessandro and Paugam, Luc, Accounting Information in Innovative Small Cap Firms: Evidence from London's Alternative Investment Market (September 18, 2020). Accounting and Business Research, 2020, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3695299

Andrei Filip

Catholic University of Lille - IESEG School of Management ( email )

Socle de la Grande Arche
1 Parvis de la Defense
Puteaux, Paris 92800
France

Alessandro Ghio (Contact Author)

Université Laval ( email )

2214 Pavillon J-A. DeSeve
Quebec, Quebec G1K 7P4
Canada

Luc Paugam

HEC Paris, Accounting and Management Control Department ( email )

1 avenue de la libération
Jouy-en-Josas, 78350
France

CFA Society France ( email )

54 avenue Hoche
Paris, 75008
France

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