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Article
Audit Committee Incentives and the Resolution of Detected Misstatements
Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory
  • Marsha B. Keune, University of Dayton
  • Karla M. Johnstone, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-2015
Abstract

We investigate the role of audit committee economic incentives in judgments involving the resolution of detected misstatements. The results reveal a positive association between audit committee short-term stock option compensation and the likelihood that managers are allowed to waive income-decreasing misstatements that, if corrected, would have caused the company to miss its analyst forecast. Complementary results reveal a positive association between the audit committee long-term stock option compensation and the likelihood that managers are allowed to waive income-increasing misstatements when the company reports just missing, meeting, or beating its analyst forecast. These findings illustrate agency conflicts that can arise when compensating audit committees with options. We obtain these results while controlling for CEO option compensation and audit committee characteristics, along with indicators of corporate governance, auditor incentives, and company characteristics.

Inclusive pages
109-137
ISBN/ISSN
0278-0380
Comments

Permission documentation on file.

Publisher
American Accounting Association
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Citation Information
Marsha B. Keune and Karla M. Johnstone. "Audit Committee Incentives and the Resolution of Detected Misstatements" Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory Vol. 34 Iss. 4 (2015)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/marsha_keune/1/