This paper analyses the potential impacts of the introduction of a new accounting standard, International Financial Reporting Standard 16 (IFRS 16) -Leases, on financial leverage and performance of entities. This new accounting standard was introduced on 13 January 2016, and will become effective on 1 January 2019; it will have material impacts on the financial statements of listed companies adopting IFRS and change the basic principles of the current accounting system. Our aim is to estimate the impacts of the application of IFRS 16 on listed issuers of financial statements and the different impacts that the new standard could have in different activity sectors. This research estimates the effects of IFRS 16 on the ratios of debt/total assets, EBITDA/revenues and debt/equity. The conclusions summarize the effects on entity performance and net financial position. The research shows that in the financial statements of the lessee, there will be important changes. In particular, in the balance sheet, there will be an increase in lease assets, an increase in financial liabilities and a decrease in equity, while in the income statement, there will be an increase in EBITDA and an increase in finance costs. The impact of the application of IFRS 16 will be different depending on the use of operating lease contracts among the different business sectors. Leases are an important and flexible source of financing; listed companies, using IFRS and U.S. GAAP, are estimated to have around US$ 3.3 trillion in lease commitments. Finally, this study aims to analyse the possible impacts of communication of entities, focusing on alternative performance measures.

In a world more interconnected and globalized, the Entities periodically communicate to stakeholders, and in general to market, their performances and results. The Entities use, in their financial communication, Alternative Performance Indicators (APM) that are not required by accounting principles. APM are increasingly used by Entities to help provide insights on performance. These indicators are a financial measure of historical or future financial performance, financial position, or cash flows, other than a financial measure defined or specified in the applicable financial reporting framework. This study aims to analyse the spread of APM, investigating the financial communications of Listed Italian Industrial Entities on FTSE-MIB index 40. As APM have become more widespread, their reporting has turned out to be an hot topic around the world for prepares, stakeholders, auditors and regulators. The European Securities and Markets Authority issued new guidelines that aim to improve the usefulness and transparency of Alternative Performance Measures. In the second part, the study aims to analyse how the Entities expects to apply these new guidelines and the impacts on financial communication.

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In our empirical analysis the evidence found fully reflects the theoretical characteristics studied in small and medium-sized enterprises rather than large enterprises. The dominant role of the shareholder in small and medium-sized enterprises and the type of ownership composition and structure are fundamental. The analysis of multi-case studies, also, explains the higher scores obtained from the listed companies under the heading of Shareholders protection. These enterprises should be able to provide the means to communicate and should have greater ability to protect shareholders

The application of Impairment Test on Goodwill is one of the most debated issues in the international arena, both in relation to the multiple profiles of subjectivity inherent in the valuation criteria set out in IAS 36 and in relation to the novelty that brings this procedure. For this reason, in our work we analyze Goodwill, Impairment Test and the international regulations governing them that are IAS 36 and IFRS 3. The Goodwill is an important asset for some companies, an intangible asset that arises as a result of the acquisition of one company by another for a premium value. Its assessment is, however, discretionary. Main objective of this paper is to analyze this discretionary and check whether the information resulting from the Impairment Test on Goodwill is in accordance with the provisions of IAS 36. The empirical analysis has been developed on a selected sample relative to utilities in Europe who had recorded higher Goodwill in 2012. The results show that disclosures do not always conform to the requirements of IAS 36; in particular, there is a reluctance of the company managements in providing quantitative information about the sensitivity analysis of the Impairment Test results. The practical implications lead to stress that the reader of the financial statements is not facilitated, not only he fails to assess the effects on the recoverability of the value but also to recognize the reliability of the estimates.