Financial restatement trends in Brazil from 1997-2012

Abstract

This study  analyzes the characteristics of the financial restatements issued by Brazilian companies listed on the BM&FBovespa stock exchange from 1997 through 2012. The study,  descriptive in nature, employed a mixed, qualitative and quantitative approach in which data from 5608 financial statements and audit reports were analyzed using content analysis and descriptive statistics. The results evidenced that on average 25% of financial statements are republished. Only 17% of these restatements, however, are of the mandatory type and only 8.40% involve quantitative changes to the original financial statements. An increasing tendency to issue restatements was identified, accompanying the increase in the number of listed companies. However, 77.13% of the total restatements issued during the period involved qualitative data changes. This study contributes to the literature on the topic, revealing the movement undergone with respect to financial restatements during a period in which relevant changes were experienced in the regulatory environment, in particular the promulgation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and the adoption of International Standards (IFRS).