Effect of Intangible Assets on the Value Relevance of Accounting Information: Evidence from Emerging Markets

This study mainly aims to examine the effect of intangible assets on the value relevance of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-listed non-financial firms. This study tested three types of models by using a large sample of non-financial firms listed in GCC countries as emerging markets from 2008 to 2016. The types of models are accounting information (earnings per share and book value of share) without intangible assets model, intangible assets model, and accounting information (earnings per share and book value of share) with intangible assets model. Ordinary least square (OLS) shows mixed results as intangible assets improve the value relevance of accounting information positively in UAE and negatively in Kuwait but not in other countries. The study documents a robust positive relationship between intangible assets and earnings quality in terms of value relevance in KSA and Qatar. The findings provide implications for policymakers, investors, and managers. The results suggest that intangible assets can improve the value relevance in emerging markets, such as GCC, as the need to organize the requirements of information disclosures on intangible assets and provide great transparency and additional disclosure of information about intangible assets and their components.