Kosmetikaföretagens jakt efter männen
en fallstudie av The Body Shop och Make Up Store
SummaryThe purpose of this thesis is to examine what effect the IFRS 2 has on earnings, equity, financial strength and return on equity for listed Swedish companies with active stock option plans. The purpose is further to investigate the companies? attitudes towards IFRS 2 and to find out if companies tend to deviate from stock option plans due to the changed accounting rules. We also want to examine the view of IFRS 2 from an auditor?s perspective.We have used a deductive approach and a mix of quantitative and qualitative research methods with a view to get a completely clear picture within the field of study. The questionnaire aims at measuring the same characteristics among the companies to find causal links, and the interviews are made to obtain a high internal validity so that connections between the body of regulations and the companies? opinions and actions appear. The purpose of the theory chapter is to give the reader an understanding of what stock option plans are and why they are frequently used within companies. The IFRS 2 constitutes the base of the theory chapter. The international debate gives the reader a feeling for how common stock option plans are in the United States and what arguments there are for and against the expensing of stock options, which will be introduced in the United States in 2006. In our empirical chapter, we present the information collected from fifty-six companies by a questionnaire, followed by the interviews from the two companies that we have been in deeper contact with. We also present the opinions by the representatives from the two audit firms. The empirical chapter finishes with a calculation of the two interviewed companies changes in return on equity.The conclusion of this thesis is that the IFRS 2 is considered complicated by many companies. There is a lack of knowledge about the new standard among the companies and, for that reason; they are forced to seek help by audit firms, which result in large administrative costs, especially for smaller companies. We have observed that the attitude towards the IFRS 2 therefore differs depending on the company?s size. The IFRS 2 has a negative effect on net income for most of the companies with the exception of those who offer their employees stock options at market value, or have valued their stock option plans according to the ?intrinsic method?. The change in return on equity has only a marginal effect for most companies. Further conclusions are that companies will not deviate from stock option programs as long as they are well-working incentives, but they may look them over more carefully and compare them to other alternatives. The audit firms are positive to the IFRS 2 and think that expensing stock options will lead to better comparability.Keywords: IFRS 2, Financial Strength, profitability, Stock options