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Audit time pressure and earnings quality: An examination of accelerated filings

Author

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  • Lambert, Tamara A.
  • Jones, Keith L.
  • Brazel, Joseph F.
  • Showalter, D. Scott

Abstract

Using publicly available data from annual reports, we find that SEC rule changes (33-8128 and 33-8644) that impose time pressure on the audits of registered firms have a negative impact on earnings quality, which we interpret as evidence of lower audit quality. Consistent with our predictions, we find that the 10-K accelerations reduced audit quality only when it actually reduced the number of days from year-end to audit report date, and that this effect was more acute for smaller, accelerated filers and during the initial deadline change (relative to the second). We also provide insights into the quality of these audits by conducting a survey of thirty-two retired audit partners. Survey results underscore the challenges time pressure imposes on receiving and evaluating complex valuations (such as for derivatives, pensions, and goodwill) and resolving audit adjustments.

Suggested Citation

  • Lambert, Tamara A. & Jones, Keith L. & Brazel, Joseph F. & Showalter, D. Scott, 2017. "Audit time pressure and earnings quality: An examination of accelerated filings," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 50-66.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:aosoci:v:58:y:2017:i:c:p:50-66
    DOI: 10.1016/j.aos.2017.03.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Bryan K. Church & Narisa Tianjing Dai & Xi (Jason) Kuang & Xuejiao Liu, 2020. "The Role of Auditor Narcissism in Auditor–Client Negotiations: Evidence from China," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(3), pages 1756-1787, September.
    3. Christensen, Brant & Lei, Lijun (Gillian) & Shu, Sydney Qing & Thomas, Wayne, 2023. "Does audit regulation improve the underlying information used by managers? Evidence from PCAOB inspection access and management forecast accuracy," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    4. Markus Jung & Mischa Seiter, 2021. "Towards a better understanding on mitigating algorithm aversion in forecasting: an experimental study," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 495-516, December.
    5. Bills, Kenneth L. & Cobabe, Matthew & Pittman, Jeffrey & Stein, Sarah E., 2020. "To share or not to share: The importance of peer firm similarity to auditor choice," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    6. Moritzen, Mark Raun & Schandlbauer, Alexander, 2020. "The impact of competition and time-to-finance on corporate cash holdings," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    7. Dafydd Mali & Hyoung‐joo Lim, 2021. "Do Relatively More Efficient Firms Demand Additional Audit Effort (Hours)?," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 31(2), pages 108-127, June.
    8. Dong, Bei & Nash, Jonathan & Xu, Le, 2022. "Indirect effects of regulatory change: Evidence from the acceleration of the 10-K filing deadline," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    9. Lisic, Ling Lei & Pittman, Jeffrey & Seidel, Timothy A. & Zimmerman, Aleksandra “Ally” B., 2022. "You can't get there from here: The influence of an audit partner's prior non-public accounting experience on audit outcomes," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    10. Jin Suk Heo & Soo Young Kwon & Hun‐Tong Tan, 2021. "Auditors' Responses to Workload Imbalance and the Impact on Audit Quality," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(1), pages 338-375, March.
    11. Rahul Menon & Lin Nan, 2023. "Sooner or later? A study of report timing," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 32(3), pages 762-779, March.
    12. Mihai Carp & Costel Istrate, 2021. "Audit Quality under Influences of Audit Firm and Auditee Characteristics: Evidence from the Romanian Regulated Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-16, June.
    13. Christensen, Brant E. & Newton, Nathan J. & Wilkins, Michael S., 2021. "How do team workloads and team staffing affect the audit? Archival evidence from U.S. audits," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    14. Su, Kun & Zhang, Miaomiao & Liu, Chengyun, 2022. "Financial derivatives, analyst forecasts, and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from an emerging market," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    15. Toni Šušak, 2020. "The effect of regulatory changes on relationship between earnings management and financial reporting timeliness: The case of COVID-19 pandemic," Zbornik radova Ekonomskog fakulteta u Rijeci/Proceedings of Rijeka Faculty of Economics, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Business, vol. 38(2), pages 453-473.
    16. Campbell, John L. & Mauler, Landon M. & Pierce, Spencer R., 2019. "A review of derivatives research in accounting and suggestions for future work," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 44-60.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Accelerated SEC filings; Audit delay; Earnings quality; Time pressure;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M40 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - General
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • M42 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Auditing
    • M48 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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