Lost in standardization: Effects of financial statement database discrepancies on inference

SEC-mandated, machine-readable structured filings are an alternative source to Compustat for companies' accounting data. Discrepancies between as-filed and Compustat data, potentially a result of Compustat's standardizations, are more pronounced for firms with complex financial reporting. We show that these data discrepancies affect inferences in four research settings: (i) properties of accrual accounting, including accruals-cash flow relationships and abnormal accruals; (ii) real earnings management; (iii) the existence and magnitude of six of 21 accounting-based anomalies examined, including the accruals anomaly; and (iv) disclosure quality assessments based on the hierarchical structure of financial statement items. FactSet data also exhibit significant and often larger discrepancies from as-filed data. Our findings demonstrate the importance of these data discrepancies for the interpretation of empirical tests. •Compustat and FactSet data items contain large and frequent discrepancies from as-filed data.•Discrepancies affect assessment of accrual properties and real earnings management.•Discrepancies affect assessment of six accounting-based return anomalies.•From as-filed data, novel disclosure quality measures can be constructed.•Our as-filed data are available on WRDS.