The Determinants of Timing in the Adoption of New Accounting Standards: A Study of SFAS No. 87,Employers' Accounting for Pensions

Abstract

This study examines whether debt contracting and political costs influence companies' decisions regarding the timing of the initial adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87, Employers' Accounting for Pensions. The results are consistent with the debt contracting hypotheses: early adopters tended to have higher leverage and a higher income effect from the adoption and a lower interest coverage ratio and a larger increase in this ratio from the adoption. Our findings, however, do not support the political cost hypothesis.