Disclosure tone: information or obfuscation? Evidence from an emerging market

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relationship between the disclosure tone and financial performance. Specifically, it examines whether the tone presented in the banks’ annual reports reflects current and future financial performance or if it is used to mislead users about these financial outcomes. Design/methodology/approach The sample includes Jordanian banks from 2010 to 2019. The disclosure tone in annual reports is measured by identifying positive and negative keywords based on the Loughran-McDonald Word Lists. Findings The results show that current financial performance is negatively associated with the disclosure tone and that the disclosure tone is negatively associated with future financial performance. These results indicate that tone in this context is not used to reflect financial performance. Instead, the disclosure tone is used to misinform users about financial performance, which supports the impression management theory. Practical implications The findings assist stakeholders in comprehending the purpose behind the use of tone in annual reports. The study advises stakeholders to exercise caution regarding the tone used in these reports before making their decisions. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies that examine this relationship in emerging markets, focusing specifically on the financial sector. More concretely, it is the first study to explore this nexus in the Jordanian market. By addressing unexplored aspects, this study contributes to existing literature and has significant theoretical and practical implications.