This paper investigates whether the traditional Accrual based trading strategy first documented by Sloan (1996) can be refined using fundamental analysis. Specifically, this is done by implementing the composite signal F_SCORE introduced by Piotroski (2000) to identify financially strong or weak firms. We find that by applying both investment models simultaneously, in a model we call P_KOMB, the mean market-adjusted return earned by an investor exploiting the Accrual anomaly can be increased by 14.8% annually. This is achieved by taking a long position in strong firms (as defined by the composite signal) in the lowest Accrual portfolio, while an offsetting short position is taken in weak firms in the highest Accrual portfolio, repeated annually between 1997 and 2007. Consistent with prior studies, positive market-adjusted returns can be attained through assessment of Accruals as well as key value drivers found in historical financial data.

The thesis aims to examine the occurrence of Earnings Management (EM) preceding Seasoned Equity Offerings (SEOs) on the Swedish capital market. EM refers to activities and adjustments carried out by managers. The underlying purpose of these actions is to adjust net income. The procedure is typically done by borrowing income from future periods. Evidence of EM around SEOs has been documented on capital markets around the world, and the effects on firms' post-offering performance are severe.

Syfte:Att på den svenska marknaden undersöka effekten av resultatmanipulering, efter införandet av Svensk kod för bolagsstyrning. Metod:Kvantitativ datainsamling använd's för att utföra regressioner del's för beräkning av EM, del's för identifiering av signifikanta förklaringsvariabler. Informationen hämta's bland annat från årsredovisningar, SIS Ägarservice och Datastream. Studien har en deduktiv ansat's. Teoretiska perspektiv:Ett antal bolagsstyrningsteorier har behandlat's rörande agentprincipalförhållanden, institutionellt ägande samt separation av ägande och kontroll.

In line with Sloan (1996) but on European data (STOXX 600) we are investigating whether stock prices reflect information about future earnings contained in the Accrual and cash flow components. The extent to which current earnings performance persists into the future earnings performance is shown to depend on the relative magnitudes of the cash and Accrual components of current earnings. Moreover, we still find a significant positive excess return (Jensen?s alpha and size-adjusted return) by replicating Sloans (1996) hedge portfolio by taking a long position in the stock of firms reporting relatively low levels of Accruals and a short position in the stock of firms reporting relatively high levels of Accruals. However, we find no evidence of negative excess returns for companies with relatively high Accruals, this somewhat lower the total excess returns for all the portfolios.

In line with Sloan (1996) but on European data (STOXX 600) we are investigating whether stock prices reflect information about future earnings contained in the Accrual and cash flow components. The extent to which current earnings performance persists into the future earnings performance is shown to depend on the relative magnitudes of the cash and Accrual components of current earnings. Moreover, we still find a significant positive excess return (Jensen?s alpha and size-adjusted return) by replicating Sloans (1996) hedge portfolio by taking a long position in the stock of firms reporting relatively low levels of Accruals and a short position in the stock of firms reporting relatively high levels of Accruals. However, we find no evidence of negative excess returns for companies with relatively high Accruals, this somewhat lower the total excess returns for all the portfolios.

Laws, regulations and generally accepted accounting principles hold options on how companies should recognize revenue. Generally accepted accounting principles are determined by standard-setting bodies as the Accounting Standards Board and the Financial Supervisory Authority, which is influenced by international standard-setting bodies as the IASB. Service revenue is generally recognized when performance is completed, but there are variations in when a performance is considered complete. The different accounting options available create difficulties in comparing companies over time and between companies, which in turn creates difficulties to achieve a true and fair view. By clarifying what methods and principles in accounting for service income the unlisted companies in Sweden are using and why these differences exist, we have been able to study how the comparability and the true and fair view is affected by these differences.

Laws, regulations and generally accepted accounting principles hold options on how companies should recognize revenue. Generally accepted accounting principles are determined by standard-setting bodies as the Accounting Standards Board and the Financial Supervisory Authority, which is influenced by international standard-setting bodies as the IASB. Service revenue is generally recognized when performance is completed, but there are variations in when a performance is considered complete. The different accounting options available create difficulties in comparing companies over time and between companies, which in turn creates difficulties to achieve a true and fair view. By clarifying what methods and principles in accounting for service income the unlisted companies in Sweden are using and why these differences exist, we have been able to study how the comparability and the true and fair view is affected by these differences. The aim was to study the underlying factors that companies do their financial report differently.

Studien studerar inta?ktsredovisningen i idrottens elitverksamhet. Studien a?r inriktad mot ishockeyns Elitserie och fotbollens Allsvenska. Syftet med studien a?r att underso?ka vilka problem som kan uppsta? i inta?ktsredovisningen och fo?rklara dem.

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.

I studien behandlas värdeinvesteringsstrategier på den svenska aktiemarknaden med utgångspunkt i Greenblatts (2006) Magic Formula Investing. Syftet med studien är att se om det är möjligt att effektivisera Magic Formula Investing med hjälp av fundamentala signaler som kan hjälpa till att prognostisera bolags framtida vinster och aktieavkastning och därmed nå en högre onormal avkastning. Från Piotroskis (2000) vetenskapligt beprövade investeringsmodell F_SCORE används nyckeltal för att se om en effektivisering av Magic Formula Investing är möjlig. Studiens resultat visar att en utvecklad Magic Formula Investing med Piotroskis (2000) B/M och Accrual kan hjälpa investerare att nå en ökad onormal avkastning med i genomsnitt 10 % per år. Resultatet uppnår statistisk signifikans och därmed dras slutsatsen att en effektivisering av Magic Formula Investing på den svenska marknaden är möjlig.

It has since long been noticed that savior figures from different religions have reminded of each other, and there are different theories trying to explain why. This study examines religions operating in the same culture, and in this case, judaism and zoroastrianism, and their influence on each other. In particular, focus is on zoroastrianism's image of the savior figure Mithra, and how this representation may have influenced the description of the Messiah in the Talmud. How are the two figures represented in the scriptures and what similarities can be identified?By a thorough content analysis the studie examines the Avesta of zoroastrianism and the Talmud from judaism.

Problembakgrund: Finansiella rapporter är ett sätt för företagen att kommunicera med investerare och intressenter. Samtidigt som det finns lagar och förordningar som styr redovisning och rapporterns utseende finns det goda möjligheter för företagsledningen att påverka de siffror som presenteras i de publika rapporterna genom periodiseringar. Denna studie tar konceptet kring att investera baserat på graden av periodiseringar till den svenska aktiemarknaden.Problemformulering: Är det möjligt att generera riskjusterad överavkastning på den svenska aktiemarknaden med periodiseringsbaserade investeringsstrategier?Syfte: Huvudsyftet med studien är att undersöka investerares möjlighet till riskjusterad överavkastning på den svenska aktiemarknaden utifrån investeringsstrategier baserade på graden av periodiseringar. Ett delsyfte är att jämföra två delperioder för att undersöka om periodiseringsanomalins förekomst förändrats över den totala undersökningsperioden.

Introduktion/Problembakgrund: Earnings management (EM) är ett problem för både det enskilda företaget och samhället. EM innebär att företagsledningen manipulerar resultatet i syfte att vilseleda externa intressenter. Konsekvenserna av EM är ett minskat förtroende för den finansiella rapporteringen, vilket resulterar i en ineffektiv kapitalallokering. Tidigare studier i Nya Zeeland har konstaterat att sammansättningen av fastighetsportföljen påverkar benägenheten till EM. Däremot går resultatet inte att generalisera i andra länder, eftersom det finns skillnader i lagstiftningen.