Discussion of “Are voluntary disclosures that disavow the reliability of mandated fair value information informative or opportunistic?”

Abstract

Blacconiere, Frederickson, Johnson, and Lewis identify an interesting disclosure and add to our understanding of firm disclosure of option expense. The disclosure is more nuanced than is suggested by the term “disavowal”. Some disclosures are weak, almost tautological “not necessarily … reliable” statements, whereas others are straightforward statements about the “subjective nature” of the inputs to the option valuation model. The “not necessarily … reliable” language largely disappears after SFAS 123R, while stronger language persists. A striking finding in BFJL is lack of opportunism in disavowals, but I suggest that it is preliminary to conclude that there is no opportunism.