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Non‐audit services, auditor quality and the value relevance of earnings

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  • Ferdinand A. Gul
  • Judy Tsui
  • Dan S. Dhaliwal

Abstract

This paper tests the hypothesis that there is an inverse relation between non‐audit services (NAS) provided by a firm auditor and the value relevance of earnings (measured as the earnings response coefficient) and that this relation is weaker for firms with Big 6 auditors. The hypothesis is based on anecdotal evidence and previous research that suggests that the provision of NAS by the external auditor is likely to adversely affect investors’ perceptions of the credibility of financial reports, and that Big 6 auditors, because of reputational capital and litigation costs, are likely to mitigate the adverse effects of NAS. Results using 840 firm‐year observations of Australian companies document a statistically significant inverse relationship between NAS and the value relevance of earnings, and this inverse relationship is weaker for Big 6 auditors, therefore supporting the hypothesis.

Suggested Citation

  • Ferdinand A. Gul & Judy Tsui & Dan S. Dhaliwal, 2006. "Non‐audit services, auditor quality and the value relevance of earnings," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 46(5), pages 797-817, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:46:y:2006:i:5:p:797-817
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-629X.2006.00189.x
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    2. Clive Gaunt & Steven Cahan, 2014. "Accounting and Finance: authorship and citation trends," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 54(2), pages 441-465, June.
    3. De Fuentes, Cristina & Porcuna, Rubén, 2016. "Main drivers of consultancy services: A meta-analytic approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 4775-4780.
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    5. DeZoort, F. Todd & Holt, Travis & Taylor, Mark H., 2012. "A test of the auditor reliability framework using lenders’ judgments," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 519-533.
    6. Kam‐Wah Lai & Gopal V. Krishnan, 2009. "Are non‐audit services associated with firm value? Evidence from financial information system‐related services," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 49(3), pages 599-617, September.
    7. Shin Hyoung Kwon & Guannan Wang, 2020. "The change in the value relevance of accounting information after mergers and acquisitions: evidence from the adoption of SFAS 141(R)," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(3), pages 2717-2757, September.
    8. Benjamin T. Albersmann & Reiner Quick, 2020. "The Impact of Audit Quality Indicators on the Timeliness of Goodwill Impairments: Evidence from the German Setting," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 56(1), pages 66-103, March.
    9. Karen Benson & Peter M Clarkson & Tom Smith & Irene Tutticci, 2015. "A review of accounting research in the Asia Pacific region," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 40(1), pages 36-88, February.
    10. Abdelsalam, Omneya & Dimitropoulos, Panagiotis & Elnahass, Marwa & Leventis, Stergios, 2016. "Earnings management behaviors under different monitoring mechanisms: The case of Islamic and conventional banks," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 132(S), pages 155-173.
    11. Bugeja, Martin, 2011. "Takeover premiums and the perception of auditor independence and reputation," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 278-293.
    12. Abdelsalam, Omneya & Chantziaras, Antonios & Ibrahim, Masud & Omoteso, Kamil, 2021. "The impact of religiosity on earnings quality: International evidence from the banking sector," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(6).
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    15. Stergios Leventis & Panagiotis Dimitropoulos, 2012. "The role of corporate governance in earnings management: experience from US banks," Journal of Applied Accounting Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 13(2), pages 161-177, September.

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