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The impact of audit quality on earnings rounding-up behaviour: some UK evidence

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  • Tom Van Caneghem

Abstract

Previous studies (see, for example, Carslaw, 1988; Thomas, 1989; Niskanen and Keloharju, 2000; Kinnunen and Koskela, 2002; Van Caneghem, 2002) clearly suggest that public companies' managers tend to round up the first digit of reported earnings (i.e. for companies reporting profits). Based on a sample of listed UK companies and employing earnings rounding-up behaviour (henceforth ERUB) as an indication of earnings management, I attempt to determine the impact of differences in audit quality on earnings management. When I rely on the very popular brand-name proxy (i.e. BigFive versus non-BigFive auditors) to capture differences in audit quality, findings are inconsistent with BigFive auditors constraining earnings management practices (i.e. findings suggest ERUB for both BigFive and non-BigFive clients). Employing an alternative proxy (i.e. based on auditors' industry expertise), findings are only weakly consistent with specialist BigFive auditors constraining earnings management (i.e. ERUB) practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Tom Van Caneghem, 2004. "The impact of audit quality on earnings rounding-up behaviour: some UK evidence," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(4), pages 771-786.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:euract:v:13:y:2004:i:4:p:771-786
    DOI: 10.1080/0963818042000216866
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Sebastian Lebert & Ulf Mohrmann & Ulrike Stefani, 2021. "Rounding up performance measures in German firms: Earnings cosmetics or earnings management on a larger scale?," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(3-4), pages 564-586, March.
    4. Charles E. Jordan & Stanley J. Clark & Marilyn A. Waldron, 2014. "Cosmetic Earnings Management before and after Corporate Governance Legislation in Canada," Accounting and Finance Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 3(4), pages 105-105, August.
    5. Bonache, Adrien & Moris, Karen & Maurice, Jonathan, 2009. "Risque associé à l'utilisation de la loi de Benford pour détecter les fraudes dans le secteur de la mode [Risk of Reviews based on Benford Law in the Fashion Sector]," MPRA Paper 15352, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Jameleddine Ziedi & Anis Feki, 2011. "Impact des caractéristiques du comptable et de ses relations sur son éthique professionnelle," Post-Print hal-00650598, HAL.
    7. Bernhard Rauch & Max G�ttsche & Stephan Langenegger, 2014. "Detecting Problems in Military Expenditure Data Using Digital Analysis," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 97-111, April.
    8. Etienne Harb & Nohade Nasrallah & Rim El Khoury & Khaled Hussainey, 2022. "Applying Benford’s Law to detect accounting data manipulation in the pre-and post-financial engineering periods: Evidence from Lebanon," Working Papers of LaRGE Research Center 2022-10, Laboratoire de Recherche en Gestion et Economie (LaRGE), Université de Strasbourg.
    9. Bonache, Adrien & Moris, Karen, 2009. "Nonlinear and chaotic patterns in Japanese video game console sales and consequences for management control," MPRA Paper 18196, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Marcel Haak & Michelle Muraz & Roland Zieseniß, 2018. "Joint Audits: Does the Allocation of Audit Work Affect Audit Quality and Audit Fees?," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 55-80, January.
    11. Mohammad Abedalrahman Alhmood & Hasnah Shaari & Redhwan Al-dhamari, 2022. "Audit Partner Characteristics and Real Earnings Management Practices in Jordan," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 6, pages 185-200.

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