Accounting Information and Stock Prices of Quoted Manufacturing Firms: Multi-variant Panel Data Evidence from Nigeria

Abstract

This study the relationship between accounting information and the stock prices of quoted firms in Nigeria. The general objective was to examine if accounting information have any effect on market value of quoted firms.  Cross sectional data was sourced from financial statement of 23 manufacturing firm from 2008-2017. Stock price of the firms was modeled as a function of assets turnover rate, book value per share and debt equity ratio. Ordinary least square method of cointgration, unit root and granger causality test was used to determine the extent to which human resource cost affect quality of financial report. After cross examination of the validity of the pooled effect, fixed effect and the random effect, the study accepts the fixed effect model.  The study found that the independent variables explained 78 percent variation on the market value of the quoted firms. The beta coefficient of the variables indicates debt equity ratio and  assets turnover rate have positive effect on the stock prices  of the quoted firms while book value per share have negative effect on the stock prices  of the manufacturing firms. From the regression summary, the study concludes that there is significant relationship between accounting information and prices of the quoted firms. The study recommends that management of the manufacturing firms should formulate policies that will increase book value per share and internal and external factors that affect negatively the book value per share of the firms should be discouraged.