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ABSTRACT

<span>Analysts derive a broad array of financial ratios from published financial reports to assess business enterprise performance. Only a few, however, may be necessary for meaningful insight. This study explores whether operating cash flow ratios provide unique or redundant insight in financial ratio analysis of retail firms. Adoption of Financial Accounting Standard #95, The Statement of Cash Flows, by the Financial Accounting Standards Board in 1987 provides the impetus for the ongoing interest in cash flow ratios. We find that operating cash flow ratios provide unique insight, relative to traditional accrual-based financial ratios, regarding a retail firms ability to pay. Therefore, financial ratio analysis of a retail firm should include cash flow ratios for predictive, explanatory or descriptive purposes.</span>

Prior research established a seven dimension taxonomy of financial ratios. Arguably, advances in business practices, changes in financial reporting standards, and technology have affected the underlying relationships of this taxonomy. This study proposes to identify the extent to which the previously identified relationships have changed, and, if appropriate, to establish an entirely new taxonomy of manufacturing industry financial ratios.In addition, this study substantially improves and extends prior work in two areas. First, it utilizes advanced statistical methodologies and computing technologies that were unavailable to previous researchers. Second, it investigates not only the current taxonomy of manufacturing industry financial ratios, but also its stability over a recent ten year period.Our findings indicate that eleven factors now comprise the financial ratio taxonomy. Notably, a separate cash flow factor did not surface in this study as was the case in earlier work; rather, cash flow ratios correlated with accrual-based measures. Finally, our study identified a new current position factor.2

Changes in the accounting profession and in the way

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This article examines the International Accounting Standards

Purpose This study aims to identify a taxonomy of financial ratios derived from financial statements prepared using International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The work first empirically establishes and then statistically validates the taxonomy of financial attributes captured in financial ratios. In 2005, the European Commission required that publicly traded companies in the European Union use IFRS as the basis for financial reporting. In the same year, Australia adopted IFRS as a basis for financial reporting. Since then, 120 countries and reporting jurisdictions have adopted IFRS as the basis for financial reporting. Given that IFRS predominate in the financial reporting world, it seems essential to establish and validate IFRS-based ratio attributes. Only then can reliance upon and comparability of these ratios be warranted (Altman and Eisenbeis, 1978). Using principle component analysis, the authors empirically identify nine stable attributes (factors) for ratios drawn from IFRS-based financial statements from 84 counties. The findings provides an empirical basis to formulate testable hypotheses regarding the predictive and descriptive utility of financial ratios draw from IFRS-based financial statements. Design/methodology/approach The paper begins with a broad category of IFRS-based financial ratios, 50, found in practice and research, including income statement, balance sheet, cash flow, profitability and liquidity measures. Then, a sample of companies from the manufacturing sector is segmented using IFRS as a basis of financial statement reporting. Next, principal component analysis, a method of factor analysis, is applied to empirically identify factors and financial attributes captured in financial ratios used in research inquiry and financial analysis. Findings The authors find that the financial attributes captured by IFRS-based ratios go well beyond the traditional measures of profitability, liquidity and solvency. The authors identify nine factors that are interpretable and stable over the period, 2011-2015: asset relationship, asset turnover, capital structure, expense insight, fixed asset usage, inventory turnover, liquidity, profitability margin and performance return. Interestingly, the authors did not find a separate cash flow factor. Most importantly, the results corroborate that IFRS-based ratios are consistent and comparable, despite innate country differences that have been shown to influence the application, interpretation and use of IFRS. Research limitations/implications The efforts are limited to the manufacturing sector. The financial attributes may be different in service, distribution and retail sectors. Also, limiting the effort are the ratios selected in this study. A broader range of ratios may widen the identification of unique stable factors over time. Practical implications The findings provide a basis for research and analysis efforts regarding the validity, comparability and stability of IFRS-based financial ratios. Most importantly, the results corroborate that IFRS-based ratios are consistent and comparable, despite innate country differences that have been shown to influence the application, interpretation and use of IFRS. The findings should be of interest to international and national financial reporting standard setters, investors and analysts. Originality/value An empirically evidenced classification system for IFRS-based financial ratios has yet to be determined based on a financial statements across a wide breadth of countries and reporting jurisdictions. Identification of stable interpretable factors, financial attributes, has been limited. The first is that inquiry has been limited to domestic-based, such as US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, financial ratios. The second is inquiry has been limited to IFRS-based financial ratios within a specific country.