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Audit committee financial expertise and properties of analyst earnings forecasts

Author

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  • Abernathy, John L.
  • Herrmann, Don
  • Kang, Tony
  • Krishnan, Gopal V.

Abstract

An important role of financial accounting information is to aid financial statement users in forming expectations about the firm's future earnings. Prior research finds that accounting financial expertise of the audit committee is associated with higher financial reporting quality. We extend this literature by examining the association between audit committee financial expertise and analysts' ability to anticipate future earnings. We find a significant association between accounting financial expertise on the audit committee and analyst earnings forecasts that are more accurate and less dispersed. In contrast, we do not find a significant association between non-accounting financial expertise (i.e., supervisory expertise) and forecast accuracy or forecast dispersion. These findings contribute to our understanding of the benefits of accounting expertise in audit committees by demonstrating an association between accounting financial expertise and improvements in analyst earnings forecasts.

Suggested Citation

  • Abernathy, John L. & Herrmann, Don & Kang, Tony & Krishnan, Gopal V., 2013. "Audit committee financial expertise and properties of analyst earnings forecasts," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 1-11.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:advacc:v:29:y:2013:i:1:p:1-11
    DOI: 10.1016/j.adiac.2012.12.001
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    3. Mujeeb Saif Mohsen Al-Absy & Ku Nor Izah Ku Ismail & Sitraselvi Chandren, 2018. "Accounting expertise in the audit committee and earnings management," Business and Economic Horizons (BEH), Prague Development Center, vol. 14(3), pages 451-476, June.
    4. Belal Ali Abdulraheem Ghaleb & Shaker Dahan Al-Duais & Abdulwahid Ahmed Hashed, 2021. "Audit Committee Chair s Legal Expertise and Real Activities Manipulation: Empirical Evidence from Malaysian Energy and Utilities Sectors," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 11(1), pages 65-73.
    5. Bajra, Ujkan & Čadež, Simon, 2018. "Audit committees and financial reporting quality: The 8th EU Company Law Directive perspective," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 151-163.
    6. Lutfa Tilat Ferdous & Kamran Ahmed & Darren Henry, 2023. "An Empirical Investigation of the Effect of CFO Power on Disclosure Quality," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 59(2), pages 606-649, June.
    7. Ionica Oncioiu & Anca-Gabriela Petrescu & Florentina-Raluca Bîlcan & Marius Petrescu & Melinda Timea Fülöp & Dan Ioan Topor, 2020. "The Influence of Corporate Governance Systems on a Company’s Market Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-15, April.
    8. Iwametan, Johnson Oladipo & Miko Nurudeen Usman & Hauwa Sanusi. Junaid & Isuwa Dauda, 2023. "The Effect of Audit Committee Resources on Accounting Reporting Quality of Listed Oil and Gas in Nigeria," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(7), pages 614-627, July.
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    11. Marziana Madah Marzuki, 2022. "Audit Committee Diversity, Analysts’ Forecast Accuracy and Earnings Management: Evidence from Malaysia," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-27, April.

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