CHOICE OF INVENTORY ACCOUNTING METHOD UNDER IFRS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF POSITIVE ACCOUNTING THEORY

Abstract

This study aims to explore how firm-specific factors influence managers’ choice of inventory accounting methods under International Accounting Standards/International Financial Reporting Standards from a positive accounting theory perspective. A total of 921 companies from 11 different countries are included in the study for the year 2019. Multiple regression analysis is used to test the impact of explanatory variables on the choice of inventory accounting method. The results demonstrate that firm size and capital intensity influence the choice of FIFO negatively, which show that as firm size and capital intensity increases, companies’ tendency to select FIFO decreases, consistent with political-cost hypothesis.