The impact of pro forma profits on analyst forecasts: Some experimental evidence

The trend of pro forma (non-GAAP) reporting has made it increasingly difficult for financial analysts and investors to evaluate company performance. This study investigates how pro forma reporting affects analysts’ judgments in a non-US experimental setting. The results show that analysts who received both pro forma and GAAP information made significantly higher EPS forecasts compared to analysts who only received GAAP information. The positive framing and the higher anchor level that the pro forma report creates are suggested explanations for this result.