The auditor's report is central to the value of the audit process. Research shows that the auditor's report per se has value to users of financial reports. It provides users with an enhanced level of reliability and confidence in their evaluation of a company's financial statements, and this...

Extant evidence implies that managers rely on a variety of non-income-increasing techniques to manipulate earnings. However, prior research finds that the auditor is more likely to discipline firms against practicing income-increasing (II) earnings management due to its higher litigation and...