The Economic Consequences of Increasing the International Visibility of Financial Reports

Abstract

Attracting investors’ attention is a challenge for listed firms. Prior research finds that certain characteristics (size, liquidity, cross-listing) are associated with firm visibility (see, e.g., Baker et al. 2002; Bushee and Miller 2012). Firms lacking these characteristics are often neglected by investors and intermediaries. Prior research (Bushee and Miller 2012) also suggests that voluntary disclosure can improve analyst and investor following, and ultimately reduce the cost of capital.