Economic Consequences of Operating Lease Recognition

The Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 generated considerable debate between managers and standard setters. The purpose of our study is to understand the reporting effects of ASU 2016-02 and how its issuance and implementation affected managers’ operational behavior and the reported performance of the firm. We find evidence that after issuance, managers changed their operational behavior by decreasing their use of long-term operating leases, and this decrease relates to reporting incentives. However, we find no evidence that investors perceived loss of firm value or that firms suffered a decrease in performance. Thus, our evidence is not consistent with negative views expressed by managers. Our study adds to an interesting literature on the impact of changes in accounting standards on managers’ operating decisions and economic consequences for firms.