FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
Year:2016 | Volume:7 | Issue:28|Papers Count:6

The purpose of this research is investigating the usefulness of variables reduction and support vector regression in predicting stock returns of companies listed on Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE). In this regard, through reviewing literature, 52 predictive features were specified as the initial features (variables) based on the popularity in the literature and the availability of the necessary data. By using correlation-based variables selection method and factor analysis variables extraction method, optimal variables (factors) are selected or extracted from initial variables. Subsequently, the stock returns of 101 firms listed on TSE from 2004 to 2013 were predicted utilizing nonlinear methods (support vector regression and artificial neural networks) and linear regression. The research results indicate that support vector regression outperforms the two other prediction methods and both nonlinear methods outperform the linear regression. Furthermore, the results confirmed the usefulness of variables reduction methods and existence of significant difference between usefulness amount of the correlation-based and factor analysis method

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of supervisor’s support and colleagues’ support in audit profession on role conflict, which, is part of role and role ambiguity which are both the main components of role stress. Moreover, this study intends to find out whether role conflict or role ambiguity increases auditors’ intentions to quit, or decreases their job satisfaction. The population of the research consists of all auditors (5353) from assistant auditors to senior auditors working in audit firms, which are members of Iranian Association of Certified Public Accountants and Auditing Organization. A pilot study was first conducted on 30 randomly selected auditors and a variance of 0.137 was obtained. Then the questionnaire was randomly distributed among 350 auditors. In order to test the hypotheses of the study Linear Structural Relations Model was employed. The results obtained from data analysis show that there is not any meaningful relationship between role conflict and intentions to quit, but a meaningful relationship is found among other causal model variables.

Stock return is the most important factor in investors' decision making and a measure to evaluating the managers, performance. Different factors affect stock return. The aim of this research is investigation into the effects of the company growth on the relationship of the discretionary accruals and stock return. Target sample consists of 90 companies listed in Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) during 2005-2012. Jones (1991) model is used in order to find out the degree of discretionary and non-discretionary accruals. Collected data examined using panel data. Results show that company growth does not affect the relationship between discretionary accruals and stock return but it affects the relationship between the positive discretionary accruals and stock Therefore, only the information content of positive discretionary accruals increases by firm growth.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between restatements and information asymmetry. Restatements include three situations: restatement due to core accounts, non-core accounts and auditor’ comments. In addition, for measuring the information asymmetry, difference between ask and bid price is used. For this purpose, by using systematic removed sampling during 2008-2014, 104 firms are selected as statistical sample. Results show that restatements and restatements due to core accounts have a significant relationship with information asymmetric but this relationship is not significant for restatements due to non-core accounts and auditors.

This study examines the effect of managerial mechanisms of corporate governance (board and CEO characteristics) on risk taking of Iranian firms listed in Tehran Stock Exchange. Risk taking proxy is idiosyncratic risk (unsystematic risk). Board and CEO characteristic proxies are board independence, board size, CEO duality, CEO tenure and CEO dominance. We used standard deviation of the residual return explained by the Fama-French (1993) three - factor model as a surrogate for idiosyncratic risk. Also we used Leverage, ROA and AGE as control variables. Using a collected sample of 127 listed companies of Tehran Stock Exchange during 2008 - 2013 and using panel data regression, our empirical evidences show that board independence, board size and CEO dominance are associated with idiosyncratic risk, whereas other variables have no influence on idiosyncratic risk.

In today’s world, all businesses and organizations that are active in the community, should be accountable to all their stakeholders. The main objective of this research is to identify and rank the factors influencing on the social audit. For this purpose, reviewing the research literature and influencing factors are identified. Finally, to enable measurement of the factors, 45 factors were summarized and classified in to 6 groups, including organizational factors, stakeholders, government support and programs, social factors, laws and regulations and appropriate audit. Then we interviewed with experts, and factors were ranked by using Topsis techniques. The results show that the leadership is the most important factor affecting social auditing. Also continued educational sessions related to social auditing for internal auditors, and taking the organization responsible for social consequences of their activities, are found as second and third factors influencing social audit. Since the three factors having most effects on social auditing are found to be internal, we can say that, organizational factors are the most important factors influencing social auditing.