This paper examines IPO assurance fees to assess the use of industry specialization as a differentiation strategy by audit firms. Theory suggests that as an audit firm's share of a client industry increases their costs will decrease and their service quality to that industry will increase. In...

Using proprietary data from a global accounting firm, we investigate the determinants of auditors’ interim effort as well as the impact of interim effort on audit quality, client disclosure timeliness, audit hours, and audit fees. Public statements from accounting firms and regulators suggest...

Using proprietary data from a global accounting firm, we investigate the determinants of auditors’ interim effort as well as the impact of interim effort on audit quality, client disclosure timeliness, audit hours, and audit fees. Public statements from accounting firms and regulators suggest...

This study examines the relationship between the mandatory disclosure of auditor tenure under AS 3101 and the cost of debt. We find that yield spreads on seasoned bond trades decrease after AS 3101 as auditor tenure increases. Cross-sectional tests suggest that the effect is stronger for...

This study investigates auditors’ reputational damage following unfavorable PCAOB inspection reports. While prior studies reach different conclusions on the usefulness of PCAOB reports based on subsequent changes in auditors’ market share (or lack thereof), we posit that a client’s...

Previous research shows that qualitative MD&A disclosures are valuable to investors and that managers modify MD&A tone to manage earnings expectations. In this study, we investigate whether the tone of the MD&A narrative is associated with the length of the auditor-client relationship. We find...

Corporate accounting failures and regulatory proceedings that led to the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) increased the scrutiny of auditors. We investigate whether these events resulted in a change in auditor behavior with respect to going concern reporting. Generally speaking,...