Stock analysts have through the analyses they write a large impact on the expectations on the market and the direction of investors investments. This creates undesired fluctuations on the market that raises the level of uncertainty. The way that the analysts satisfy their need for information is connected to how their final analysis will be shaped. There is a large knowledge gap concerning the way that the analysts work and this gives unsatisfactory ways of communication. This thesis is set out to create a greater understanding of how optimal communication towards this target group should be brought out.

The high debt levels experienced in European Countries have lead to academic interest in the deficit bias -the tendency for governments to run budget deficits and accumulate debt. In part one of this thesis a surveyof the economic literature on the origins and solutions to the deficit bias are conducted. The proposedinstitutional solution to the deficit bias in the form of Fiscal Policy Councils (FPC) are outlined and existingEuropean FPCs presented. Based on the works of Calmfors and Wren-Lewis (2011) the EuropeanCommission (EC) is defined as an FPC. Based on this survey, two hypothesis are formulated: (1) theforecasts of future macro-economic events and fiscal performance will differ between the national FPCs andthe national government.

This study highlights the structures and networks thatexist among financial analysts on the Swedish financial market. The study isbased on nine semi-structured interviews with buy- and sell-side analysts, anindependent analyst and an Investor Relations Manager.The theoretical framework of the study is based on acombination of the research fields Behavioral Finance and Social Studies ofFinance. These two research fields have proven to be a good basis for thequalitative approach used in the analysis. The study is divided into four thematic areas: Fundamentals / Psychology, Independence and consensus, Ranking and Social network.The results show that there are a large number offactors, structures and interpersonal relationships that affect how analystsmake their decisions and conduct their analysis. Among other things, theinterdependence between analysts and their counterparts prohibits the movetowards a more clear system for compensation.

In this thesis we study the development of post-earnings announcement drift (PEAD) in the Swedish equity market from 2000 to 2009. By forming portfolios based on the stock price reaction to quarterly reporting we show that the characteristics of PEAD have changed. We demonstrate that negatively surprising companies show a positive drift during a holding period of six months sufficiently large to render the trading strategy unprofitable. This development holds from 2005 and onwards and these results contradict many a study which finds the same portfolio construction to be indeed profitable. We argue that this development is a trend that will not only affect our study but future studies as well..

This paper seeks to investigate whether there is a positive relationship between bonus as a part of total executive compensation and lower accounting quality among Swedish companies. In this study, accounting quality is defined as the degree by which a company's earnings are subject to earnings management. To detect earnings management accrual-based modified Jones model is applied to companies listed on the Large-, Mid- and Small-Cap lists on the Stockholm stock exchange during 2011. We find a statistically significant positive relationship between bonus as a part of total executive compensation and lower accounting quality. Thus, in line with prior research, our results suggest that managers, interested in maximizing their bonus, will select income increasing accruals to manage earnings upwards.

The purpose of this essay is to investigate if the companies listed on Nasdaq/OMX Stockholm Large Cap use the earnings management phenomenon Big Bath Accounting to a greater extent when a change of management (CEO) is made.Management tends to use earnings management when there is a bonus plan linked to the result of the company. To gain maximum bonus the management will try to manipulate the result in a way that in a long term maximize their utility. Through the earnings management technique Big Bath the management is given the possibility to take one large cost as a one-time expend, even though the cost is supposed to run over several financial years. This, of course, within the legal framework. A big bath may occur when there is an impairment of goodwill, tangible and/or intangible assets or larger provisions for future expense, or both of them at the same time..

This thesis investigates whether it is accordance between the different profit measures in the financial market. The first aim of the thesis is to examine if it exists a difference between the profit measures that companies publish in their fourth quarter interim report and the measures that they state in their annual report, issued some months later. The second aim is to examine whether there is a divergence in definitions and the assumption regarding the risk of bankruptcy between profit measures published by companies and analysts. The study focuses on Swedish companies listed on the OMX Stockholm Large Cap and concerns the years of 2006 and 2007. The analysts interviewed are working in Sweden with listed Swedish companies.

Sammanfattning Uppsatsens titel: The Post-Earnings-Announcement-Drift - På den svenska marknaden. Seminariedatum: 2008-06-02 Ämne/Kurs: NEKM01 ? Examensarbete magisternivå 15hp Författare: Stefan Setterlund Handledare: Hossein Asgharian Fem nyckelord: The Post-Earnings-Announcement-Drift, earnings momentum, anomalier, oförväntade vinster, likviditet. Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om fenomenet the postearnings-announcement-drift (PEAD), eller earnings momentumsom det också brukar benämnas som, finns på den svenskaaktiemarknaden. Detta för att se om man eventuellt kan bilda envinstgivande lång/kort strategi genom att utnyttja dessa välkändaanomalier.

Background: Goodwill has always been frequently discussed and a lot of scientific research has been done regarding factors that affect companies? impairment of goodwill. Previous research has concluded that companies reporting low results are more prone to do impairments of goodwill than companies reporting better results which possibly can be seen as a form of earnings management.Purpose: The purpose of this essay is to examine if goodwill impairments occur to a greater extent among Swedish listed companies when the companies are reporting lower earnings. A subsidiary purpose is to see if there has been an improvement since 2008 regarding the size of reported goodwill in comparison to equity in the years 2009-2011. And to analyze the development of the companies goodwill impairments in relation to reported goodwill.Methodology: Three quantitative studies have been performed for the years 2009-2011 where all the listed companies on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm have been included.

Resultaten visar på att abnormal earnings model är en mertillförlitlig modell i förhållande till dividend growth model. Dettafrämst då abnormal earnings model grundar sig på mer tillgängliginformation samt att tillväxträntan i dividend growth model harkonstaterats vara orealistiskt hög. Analytikers prognoser tenderaratt vara optimistiska i början av undersökningsperioden 2000-2002. Perioden 2003-2007 präglas mer av pessimistiskavinstprognoser. Marknadens riskpremie fluktuerar mindre underperioden 2005-2007, vilket kan förklaras utav införandet av IFRSår 2005..

This is a study to see the relationship between earnings per share and dividends during a period of both boom and depression. The study will focus on companies listed on Stockholm stock exchange and see if they follow theories from the past and if the dividend is smooth over times with a fluctuant economy. To see this we had this problem:Is it a relationship between earnings per share and dividend during a fluctuant economy, also if there is a difference between the different Caps on Stockholm stock exchange?We studied 163 stocks of the 293 listed stock on Stockholm stock exchange during a period of 8 years. The study is focused on the time period between year 2005 and year 2012.

A debate in finance is whether a random investment gives the same return as carefully choose and valuing an amount of shares to invest in. Stock valuating Stock valuation is often done by fundamental valuation models, based on the company's underlying character, which tries to put a correct price on the stock. Today there are several different valuation models that can be used for this purpose. Since valuation models are only mathematical, equity research is underpinned by more subjective assessments about the company and its future.The purpose with this thesis is to describe which valuation models that are used by professional stock analysts, but also to see if the reliability on the equity research is affected by the used model to valuing the company. Furthermore, we want to see if the job that?s been done to understand the company, measured by the equity research quality, impact the reliability on the equity research.In this thesis, we have, to achieve our purpose, conducted a quantitative content analysis of 164 equity research done by professional analysts at firms listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. With basis in previous research, we have developed a method for determining the valuation model that is used in the equity research, the reliability on the equity research and a framework for assessing the quality of the equity research.In the theoretical framework the valuation models involved in our study are described, previous research on the reliability on the equity research and their practical use.

SammandragProblematisering: Tilla?ter kvinnliga revisorer en la?gre ma?ngd av earnings management a?n sina manliga kollegor? En va?ldigt liten del av den befintliga kvantitativa forskningen inom earnings management har fokuserat pa? om det finns skillnader i hur kvinnliga respektive manliga revisorer va?ljer att begra?nsa earnings management i ett fo?retag. Dessa underso?kningar har gjorts i la?nder som enligt World Economic Forum (WEF, 2013) rankas bland de ho?gsta i va?rlden na?r det kom- mer till ja?msta?lldhet, och det finns da?rfo?r en osa?kerhet ifall deras empiriska resultat kan appliceras i andra la?nder. A? andra sidan finns det forskning som tyder pa? att sociala strukturer sa?som ja?m- sta?lldhet pa?verkar inte bara skillnaderna mellan kvinnor och ma?n utan ocksa? synen pa? resultat manipulering.

Background: The interest in shares has increased over the years, despite several stock market crashes. One reason for this is the emergence of stock trading online,which makes it easier for individuals to trade in shares. However, there has been much criticism towards financial analyst with the lack of fundamental basis to support their recommendations.Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the share valuation models swedish financial analysts today applies and consider appropriate. A comparison will also be carried out in previous studies, to see if the application of the modelsand their suitability has changed.Method: The study used a qualitative approach with deductive approach. Semistructured interviews were conducted and the basis for the study's primary data.The theories and previous studies obtained through secondary data.Results: Our results demonstrate that no single model applied, is appropriate.

SammandragProblematisering: Tilla?ter kvinnliga revisorer en la?gre ma?ngd av earnings management a?n sina manliga kollegor? En va?ldigt liten del av den befintliga kvantitativa forskningen inom earnings management har fokuserat pa? om det finns skillnader i hur kvinnliga respektive manliga revisorer va?ljer att begra?nsa earnings management i ett fo?retag. Dessa underso?kningar har gjorts i la?nder som enligt World Economic Forum (WEF, 2013) rankas bland de ho?gsta i va?rlden na?r det kom- mer till ja?msta?lldhet, och det finns da?rfo?r en osa?kerhet ifall deras empiriska resultat kan appliceras i andra la?nder. A? andra sidan finns det forskning som tyder pa? att sociala strukturer sa?som ja?m- sta?lldhet pa?verkar inte bara skillnaderna mellan kvinnor och ma?n utan ocksa? synen pa? resultat manipulering.