Factors Affecting the Adoption of IFRS: The Case of Listed Companies on Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange

The study investigates the key factors that affect the adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by companies listed on Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE) in Vietnam. The factors that are studied in this research include total debt-to-equity ratio, firm size, return-on-equity ratio, audit quality, foreign investment, and financial institution category. The authors have utilized quantitative and qualitative analyses in combination with a logistics regression model and other available analytical tools for conducting the research. All statistics processed in the paper were based on 379 audited financial statements issued in 2018. The results reveal that factors like firm size, return on equity (ROE), audit quality, foreign investment, and financial institution category positively affect the IFRS adoption of HOSE-listed companies, while total debt-to-equity ratio negatively impacts the adoption. The findings suggest Vietnamese law and policy- makers, when promoting the adoption of IFRS by listed companies, should focus more on five variables with positive influence and they can disregard the total debt-to-equity ratio that is insignificant as a factor affecting the adoption of IFRS. This implication could be applied for other firms in Vietnam and for enterprises in other countries, which are in the same stage of IFRS application.