Adoção das IFRS para operações de combinações de negócios nas demonstrações financeiras consolidadas de empresas listadas na Espanha e Reino Unido

Abstract

Business combination transactions represent a growth strategy to many firms around the world. In Brazil a major increase in the volume of business combination transactions has been observed in recent years. The publication of Law n° 11.638/07 has served to afford conditions for Brazil to move in the direction of convergence with international standards, making the adoption of these standards, including those concerning business combination transactions, mandatory. The aim of this study is to: (i) verify whether there are significant differences between the goodwill recognized and measured before and after the adoption of IFRS for business combination transactions, by non-financial companies, listed in Spain and in the United Kingdom; and (ii) analyze the alterations of the accounting treatment prescribed by Brazilian standards with the taking effect of Law n° 11.638/07, and to prospect probable barriers in the adoption of IFRS in Brazil, for business combination transactions. The study considers and relates the origin of the countries studied (Continental Europe x Anglo-Saxon Europe), as well as the basis of the accounting standards (rules x principles) to the differences identified in response to the adoption of IFRS. The research hypotheses were developed based on the review of literature, expecting to identify: significant alterations in the amount of goodwill recorded; more significant differences at companies listed in countries with their origin in Continental Europe; and differentiated perceptions of the impacts resulting from the adoption of IFRS by companies from different segments. To attain the objective a survey was conducted with a basis on the financial statements of 63 companies, with 35 listed in Spain and 28 in the United Kingdom, analyzing the impacts that occurred during the first year of adoption of IFRS. Statistical techniques were applied for analysis of the differences perceived with the adoption of IFRS and testing of the hypotheses defined, using: (i) Wilcoxon test aiming to evaluate the effects of the application of IFRS at the same company; (ii) Mann-Whitney test to compare the variation between the two listing countries, and; (iii) Kruskal-Wallis test for comparison among the various segments of the sample. The results obtained in the tests, besides other aspects, confirmed the existence of a significant difference in the goodwill before and after IFRS in the countries from the sample, Spain and the United Kingdom. These results and the analysis of previous studies made it possible to prospect probable barriers in the IFRS adoption process for business combination transactions at Brazilian companies.