Transparency and consistency of non-GAAP reporting across Europe

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2017 in the subject Economics - Finance, grade: 1,0, University of Mannheim, language: English, abstract: Non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (non-GAAP) measures are figures that are not legally defined as opposed to GAAP measures which are specified by the laws of every country in order to ensure a true and fair view. The European non-GAAP disclosures will be examined with respect to transparency and consistency across companies, countries and time horizons.

The thesis will point out the ambiguous character of non-GAAP reporting, being both informative and opportunistic. The carried out sample studies of European firms previous findings that non-GAAP reporting is a common procedure in Europe and that usage varies across European countries and industries. Moreover, it extends existing literature by showing that measures even vary within the same industry and over time and that individual factors, such as the variable pay determination of executives, might be explanatory factors for the usage of non-GAAP figures.