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Determinants of Audit Fees for French Quoted Firms

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  • Nathalie Gonthier-Besacier

    (Université de Grenoble 2)

  • Alain Schatt

    (Université de Strasbourg 3)

Abstract

This paper seeks to contribute to the international literature by researching the factors influencing audit fees in France. The French case is specific because the law requires a joint auditing process involving two separate auditors for firms that publish consolidated financial statements. Since 2003, the disclosure of audit fees has been compulsory in France, but numerous firms decided to voluntarily disclose their audit fees for the year 2002. We attempt here to elucidate the amount spent on audit fees in 2002 in a sample of 127 French (non-financial) firms. The main finding is that audit fees depend on firm size, firm risk, and the presence of two of the Big Four firms. When two Big Four firms audit company accounts, the fees charged (adjusted for company size) are significantly lower in comparison with those paid in the other cases. These results appear not to have been influenced by the share of fees paid by the companies to the main auditor.

Suggested Citation

  • Nathalie Gonthier-Besacier & Alain Schatt, 2006. "Determinants of Audit Fees for French Quoted Firms," Working Papers CREGO 1060301, Université de Bourgogne - CREGO EA7317 Centre de recherches en gestion des organisations.
    • Handle: RePEc:dij:wpfarg:1060301
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. repec:dau:papers:123456789/3506 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. 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.
    3. Shan, Yuan George & Troshani, Indrit & Richardson, Grant, 2015. "An empirical comparison of the effect of XBRL on audit fees in the US and Japan," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 89-103.
    4. Charles Piot & Alain Schatt, 2010. "La réglementation de l’audit est-elle dans l’intérêt public:quelques enseignements du modèle français," Working Papers CREGO 1100606, Université de Bourgogne - CREGO EA7317 Centre de recherches en gestion des organisations.
    5. Abdullah AL-Mutairi & Kamal Naser & Naser Al-Enazi, 2017. "An Empirical Investigation of Factors Affecting Audit Fees: Evidence from Kuwait," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 23(3), pages 333-347, August.
    6. Ines Maraghni & Mehdi Nekhili, 2017. "Audit committee characteristics and audit fees: Evidence from France [Caractéristiques du comité d’audit et honoraires d’audit : cas des entreprises françaises]," Post-Print hal-01907594, HAL.
    7. Najihah Yaacob & Ayoib Che-Ahmad, 2012. "Audit Fees after IFRS Adoption: Evidence from Malaysia," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 2(1), pages 31-46, June.
    8. Sophie Audousset-Coulier, 2015. "Audit Fees in a Joint Audit Setting," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 347-377, June.
    9. Owusu-Ansah, Stephen & Leventis, Stergios & Caramanis, Constantinos, 2010. "The pricing of statutory audit services in Greece," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 139-152.
    10. Ruth O. Urhoghide Ph.D & Prof. F. O. I. Izedonmi, 2015. "An Empirical Investigation of Audit Fee Determinants in Nigeria," International Journal of Business and Social Research, MIR Center for Socio-Economic Research, vol. 5(8), pages 48-58, August.
    11. Bernard Raffournier & Alain Schatt, 2011. "La relation entre honoraires d'audit et honoraires de conseil des auditeurs dans un contexte post-SOX : Le cas suisse," Post-Print hal-00650561, HAL.
    12. Masdiah Abdul Hamid & Wan Mohammad Taufik Wan Abdullah, 2015. "Does Auditor Fees contributed to high quality of Audit Services? Further Evidence from Malaysia," Quarterly Journal of Business Studies, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 1(1), pages 36-44.
    13. Qiang Guo & Christopher Koch & Aiyong Zhu, 2017. "Joint audit, audit market structure, and consumer surplus," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1595-1627, December.
    14. repec:dau:papers:123456789/8473 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Adel Chouaya, 2008. "Effet de l'obligation de publier les honoraires d'audit sur les honoraires des exercices ultérieurs : Le cas français," Post-Print halshs-00522481, HAL.
    16. Yao, Dai Fei (Troy) & Percy, Majella & Hu, Fang, 2015. "Fair value accounting for non-current assets and audit fees: Evidence from Australian companies," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 31-45.
    17. Huq, Asif & Hartwig, Fredrik & Rudholm, Niklas, 2018. "Do audited firms have lower cost of debt?," HUI Working Papers 132, HUI Research.
    18. Persakis, Anthony & Iatridis, George Emmanuel, 2016. "Audit quality, investor protection and earnings management during the financial crisis of 2008: An international perspective," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 73-101.
    19. Mehdi Nekhili & Wafa Masmoudi & Dhikra Chebbi Nehkili, 2009. "Choix de l’auditeur externe, honoraires d’audit et gouvernance des entreprises françaises," Working Papers CREGO 1090501, Université de Bourgogne - CREGO EA7317 Centre de recherches en gestion des organisations.
    20. Paul André & GéRaldine Broye & Christopher Pong & Alain Schatt, 2016. "Are Joint Audits Associated with Higher Audit Fees?," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 245-274, June.
    21. Oana Raluca Ivan, 2011. "Audit Fee Econometrical Models An Overview Of The Auditing Research Literature," Annales Universitatis Apulensis Series Oeconomica, Faculty of Sciences, "1 Decembrie 1918" University, Alba Iulia, vol. 2(13), pages 1-20.
    22. Tom Van Caneghem, 2010. "Audit pricing and the Big4 fee premium: evidence from Belgium," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 25(2), pages 122-139, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Audit fees; France; Joint auditors; Firm size; Firm risk; Big Four.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M40 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - General

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