Is other Comprehensive Income a Form of Real Income? Evidence from the Value Relevance Analysis

As a part of improvements in accounting standards, other comprehensive income (OCI) has been the common income reporting practice since 2009. By considering the adaptation value of Burgstahler and Dichev (1997) and Hayn’s (1995) arguments on loss firms, this study analyzes whether OCI is a form of real income from the perspective of the value relevance research. Based on a sample of Turkish listed firms over 2009-2018, this study reports that: i) the impact of OCI on market value of equity is not significant, and ii) the impact of neither OCI nor book value of equity on market value of equity does significantly change when OCI is negative. In other words, by concluding the direct and indirect value irrelevance of OCI, this study reveals that OCI is not considered a form of real income by the market.