This study examines whether investors could use Benford's Law as an aid in determining high-risk areas for investing within their process of decision-making. The business reporting standard XBRL offers the opportunity to easily extract and analyze a sufficient number of monetary items out of...

The business reporting standard XBRL offers the opportunity to easily extract and analyze a sufficient number of monetary items out of single annual reports for statistical analysis purposes. Using XBRL 10-K reports filed with the SEC EDGAR system, we derive first digit distributions for single...

The financial crisis has highlighted the necessity of discussions on the adequacy of banking regulation and accounting standard-setting for financial institutions. We compare the development of several variables in this context between commercial banks, cooperative banks and savings banks from...

Due to judicial decisions the stock market prices are deemed to be the lower value limit in determining the compensations within structural measures according to German stock corporation law (e.g. squeeze-out of minority stockholders). By applying other valuation methods, in particular the...

The paper analyses options in case of insolvency. Although insolvency plans empirically are very successful, they are not used very much. Reasons that prevent their application and possibilities for their promotion are discussed. -- Insolvenz ; Insolvenzplan ; Insolvenzverwalter ;...

In January 2009, the law on the reform of the inheritance tax and valuation law (German) came into force. As a result, the valuation of shares in non-listed corporations was fundamentally changed. The paper compares and analyzes different enterprise values through the application of different...

In today's uncertain financial climate it is particularly important for entities to explain their financial performance relative to their expectations. Therefore, the paper analyzes the quality and quantity of management reporting in Germany's publicly traded MDAX and SDAX companies using a...

The paper analyzes the risk disclosure quality in the prospectus of IPOs in Germany between 2006 and 2008. Quality of risk information is measured as precision and comprehensibility. The relationship between risk disclosure quality and earnings power is tested. -- Risikoberichterstattung ;...

The objective of the IFRS for SMEs is to provide SMEs an attractive accounting alternative according to international standards. The paper analyses the differences compared to the German-GAAP and highlights the consequences for medium-sized entities in Germany. -- Accounting ; full IFRS ; IFRS ;...

The paper analyses the timing of disclosing financial statements for small and medium enterprises (SME) in Germany in 2007 and 2008. Comparisons of different regional areas and different company sizes are made and possible explanations for the results discussed. -- Rechnungslegungspolitik ;...