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Using the Changes in Estimates database
Who is this article for?
Users who want to learn about the Changes in Estimates database.
No special access or permissions are required.
The Audit Analytics changes in estimates database covers all SEC registrants (foreign and domestic) that have disclosed a change in the estimate as defined in ASC 250‑10‑20 and as required by ASC 250‑10‑50‑4 in an annual or quarterly filing.
Per SEC requirements this includes all ’33 and ’34 Act filers.
This article provides an overview of the changes in estimates database and its search features.
1. Common uses
- Identify cases where a company meets earnings estimates due to the impact of a change in estimate
- Use proprietary taxonomy to analyze types of estimate changes by industry and accounting topic
- Use changes in accounting estimates as a factor to gauge financial reporting quality
- Key data points include impact on income and EPS and the period in which the change was disclosed
The changes in estimates database is available online, through WRDS, and as data feeds [Feed56] with the relevant subscription.
Saved search alert: Yes
Daily summary email: No
2. Collection methodology
This data is sourced from the following form types: 10‑Q, 10‑K, 20‑F, 40‑F, and their amendments.
3. Searching
The changes in estimates search page offers the following filters:
| Name | Description | Data dictionary field(s) | Sort by? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search by ticker or CIK code | Filter results to a specific population | CIK code, ticker | Yes |
| Market index | Filter for market index | S&P index | No |
| Accounting estimate types | Filter by selecting accounting estimate types | Nature of change | No |
| EPS impact | Filter by disclosed impact on basic EPS for the period in which the change was first | Impact on EPS (basic), impact on EPS (diluted) | Yes |
| Impact on income | Filter by disclosed impact on net income for the period in which the change was first disclosed (USD) | Impact on net income (USD) | Yes |
| Effective date | Filter by date of which the change was effective, if specified | Effective date | Yes |
| File date | Filter by date the filing was submitted to the SEC | Filing date | Yes |
| Search industries | Filter by companies’ industry(s) | SIC code, NAICS | No |
| Company location | Filter by current business address location(s) | Bus state name, bus region, bus county | No |
| Effect | Filter by whether the net effect of the change was positive or negative in the original period | Effect | No |
| Market cap | Filter by a range of companies’ market caps | MRFY market cap ($) | Yes |
| Revenue | Filter by a range of companies’ revenue | MRFY revenue ($) | Yes |
4. Results
Results can be viewed at the bottom of the page.
- Changes in estimates data dictionary download
- CSV file downloads of the results (all fields defined in the data dictionary)
- Overview of individual companies’ profile
- Filing type (opens the opinion text for a given entry). All opinions of a given company are available for viewing on the company’s overview profile.
5. Additional information
Related standards and regulations
ASC 250‑10‑20: A change that has the effect of adjusting the carrying amount of an existing asset or liability or altering the subsequent accounting for existing or future assets or liabilities.
ASC 250‑10‑50‑4: The effect on (a) income from continuing operations, (b) net income (or other appropriate captions of changes in the applicable net assets or performance indicator), (c) any related per‑share amounts of the current period shall be disclosed for a change in estimate that affects several future periods, such as a change in service lives of depreciable assets.
Disclosure of those effects is not necessary for estimates made each period in the ordinary course of accounting for items such as uncollectible accounts or inventory obsolescence; however, disclosure is required if the effect of a change in the estimate is material.