EMPIRICALLY ANALYZING THE “FIVE PERCENT RULE OF MATERIALITY” IN FINANCIAL REPORTING DECISIONS

This study analyzes a sample of financial restatements from 2011 and 2012 as a way to assess a proposed “five percent rule of materiality” for financial reporting decisions. Such a rule claims the average investor is only influenced by income restatements greater than five percent. Market reactions are observed through stock price, volume, and bid-ask spread following the restatement in the Form 10-K/A. The study finds only some firms restating net income by more than five percent experience statistically significant reactions in two of these metrics. The study also suggests percent change in net income is a significant driver of percent change in the three metrics via a regression analysis