The Importance and Adequacy of Accounting Information for Investment Decisions: An Analytical Study of the Stock Market in the State of Kuwait

Abstract

Accounting plays an important role in business as it has a significant effect on financial disclosure and decision – making process. This paper has focused on the importance of published accounting information compared non-accounting information as for as the investors. A survey of investors and financial analysts' perceptions toward 26 variables was conducted form test for the highest significant variables in investment decision. Parametric as well as non-parametric techniques are used as appropriate in addition to a scrutiny of the literature. Results show that investors compared with financial analysts are more interested in present values and substantiated information such as market value of shaese and expected returns in addition to information related to future financial performance. Yet, both groups emphasize the need to disclose more accounting information especially those related to forecasting future performance. Moreover, there is a growing need for disclosing interim reports and encouraging the awareness in this direction.