Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the direct and indirect impact of firm-specific characteristics on the level of underpricing among Malaysian initial public offerings (IPOs). Design/methodology/approach – Content analysis of IPO prospectuses was used for 331 firms underwent listing between 2002 and 2008. The extent of disclosure was computed by applying the disclosure index of Bukh et al. (2005). Findings – Of the five firm characteristics examined, there is a direct relationship between the firm’s financial performance and the level of foreign activity, and the level of underpricing, instead of being mediated through disclosure. However, some firm characteristics have direct influence on the extent of disclosure but do not have any influence on underpricing. Research limitations/implications – This empirical study concentrates on the Malaysian IPOs on a single disclosure mechanism. Other disclosure items can be examined together with the intellectual capital disclosure items. Practical implications – As the findings reveal that the extent of disclosure is relatively low in influencing the level of underpricing. Had the disclosure been higher, it may have some influence on underpricing. The accounting governance board need to regulate the disclosures of the intangible resources so that the level of underpricing can be minimized. Originality/value – This study provides new insight for the examination of direct and indirect (through disclosure) association between firm-specific characteristics and underpricing. The findings shed some lights to the IPO issuers to enhance disclosure so that the cost of capital can be reduced.

This research examines the determinants of intellectual capital (IC) disclosure in company initial public offerings (IPO) prospectus in the Malaysian context. An examination of the influence of the firm's, management's and the IPO advisors' attributes (i.e., 11 independent variables altogether), on the extent of IC disclosure, was carried out. The data was collected through a content analysis of the IPO prospectus of 330 companies which were undergoing listing exercise in the Malaysian Securities from 2002-2008, by adopting the IC disclosure checklist used by Bukh et al. (2005), which is comprised of 78 items. The research shows that the extent of IC disclosure has increased significantly from 2002 to 2008. Another seven determinants that have been identified as significantly influencing the extent of IC disclosure are the company size, level of technology, foreign activity and performance, pre-IPO managerial ownership, reputation status of the managing underwriter and the reporting accountant.

PurposeBoth issuing firms and underwriters shall benefit from the associations in underwriting contracts for seasoned equity offerings (SEOs). Issuing firms that are offered underwriting contracts with clustered gross spreads do not have strong incentives to switch away from the firms' prior SEO underwriters, and thus these existing underwriters are able to maintain or gain greater market share. This study investigates how the clustering of percentage gross spreads affects the likelihood of underwriter switching.Design/methodology/approachUsing the investment bank-underwritten SEOs in Hong Kong, the authors find that the percentage gross spreads of 40% of these SEOs are clustered at 2.5%. The seemingly unrelated bivariate probit model, Weibull survival mixed model and trivariate probit model are applied to analyse this phenomenon.FindingsThe authors' study provides first direct evidence that the clustering of percentage gross spreads lowers the likelihood of underwriter switching. Investment banks as underwriters can explicitly price underwriting contracts at a clustered level, more likely in periods of greater market volatility, and intentionally retain the banks' client firms using pricing arrangements. The authors' finding and approach offer more direct and distinct support that the issuer–underwriter association can be relationship-based.Originality/valueWhilst the clustering of fees is interpreted as a type of anticompetitive price sitting, the authors contribute to literature by providing new empirical evidence on why percentage gross spreads as a price dimension are clustered. On top of contract efficiency and collusion, this study's new evidence provides a third view for the clustering of gross spreads.

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