Section 404 Compliance and Financial Reporting Quality

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert L. Nagy
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Securities And Exchange Commission ◽  
Small Companies ◽  
Section 404 ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley

SYNOPSIS: This study examines whether the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Section 404 (S404) compliance efforts lead to higher quality financial reports. An objective of S404 is to encourage companies to devote adequate resources and attention to their internal control systems, which should lead to more reliable financial statements. A natural laboratory of S404 compliance and noncompliance companies exists because the Securities and Exchange Commission has deferred the S404 compliance date for small companies (nonaccelerated filers). A logistic regression model is estimated using a sample of companies surrounding the S404 compliance threshold to measure the S404 compliance effect on the likelihood of issuing materially misstated financial statements. The results show a significant and negative relation between S404 compliance and issuance of materially misstated financial statements, and suggest that the S404 regulation is meeting its objective of improving the quality of financial reports.

An exploration of the choice to comply voluntarily with SOX section 404(b)

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-110
Author(s):  
Alan Blankley ◽  
David Hurtt ◽  
Jason MacGregor
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Companies ◽  
Section 404 ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Financial Perspective ◽  
The Law ◽  
Several Delays

Purpose Central to the Sarbanes–Oxley Act was a requirement that every company have an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. However, there were concerns that this requirement was overly burdensome, from a financial perspective, for small businesses. This concern promoted several delays in enforcing the law for small companies and ultimately caused congress to permanently exempt small businesses. Yet, there are some small companies that voluntarily elect to comply with the law. The purpose of this paper is to explore why these companies elect to incur these costly audits. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of 5,834 non-accelerator US firms, this paper uses a robust logistic regression model to examine why some firms comply voluntary with SOX Section 404(b). Findings This study shows that small companies getting audits of internal controls may be doing so to restore investor confidence after reporting failures, to appear credible prior to raising funds, as a response to organizational changes, or in anticipation of being required to comply. Practical implications This study provides regulators with an improved understanding of when it is necessary to implement mandatory rather than voluntary guidance. Originality/value This study is the first to document why a client would voluntarily comply with SOX Section 404 (b).

Borrowers' Accounting Information and the Quality of Banks' Loan Portfolios

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Maria Gallimberti
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Public Funding ◽  
Section 404 ◽  
Loan Portfolio ◽  
Loan Contracts ◽  
Loan Portfolios ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Positive Effect

I examine the relation between borrowers' financial reporting (FR) and the quality of banks' loan portfolios. This relation is theoretically ambiguous as better FR improves banks' monitoring of loans but also grants more creditworthy borrowers cheaper access to alternative public funding, increasing competition and creating adverse selection problems for banks. Using the adoption of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to identify improvements in borrowers' FR, I find an overall positive effect of FR on banks' lending: the quality of loans extended to borrowers subject to Section 404 improves relative to the quality of loans extended by the same bank to other borrowers exempted from Section 404. Additional tests examining borrowers' internal control over FR and loan contracts' characteristics confirm that improved monitoring and screening are both responsible for the higher loan portfolio quality. Overall, my study highlights unexplored consequences of companies' FR on the quality of banks' assets.

The Persistence in the Association between Section 404 Material Weaknesses and Financial Reporting Quality

2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma-Riikka Myllymäki
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Control Problems ◽  
Section 404 ◽  
Material Weakness ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Material Weaknesses ◽  
History Of

SUMMARY This study examines whether Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Section 404 material weakness (MW404) disclosures are predictive of future financial reporting quality. I find evidence that for companies with a history of MW404s, the likelihood of misstatements in financial information continues to be significantly higher for two years after the last MW404 report compared to companies without a history of reported MW404s. The magnitude of the effect decreases non-linearly with decreasing speed. The findings further imply that the reason for the misstatement incidences is the unacknowledged pervasiveness of control problems. In particular, it appears that in many cases, the future misstatements are unrelated to the MW types disclosed in the last MW404 report, suggesting that some MW types are unacknowledged and, hence, control problems are even more pervasive than what was identified. Overall, the findings of this study highlight the importance of discovering and disclosing material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting.

scholarly journals Does Attestation of the effectiveness of Internal Control over Financial Reporting Discourage Earnings Management? Evidence from China

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Li Dang ◽  
Qiaoling Fang
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Chinese Firms ◽  
Public Firms ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley

To improve financial reporting quality, the Chinese government issued the Basic Standard for Enterprise Internal Control in 2008 and other related guidelines/regulations in the following years (hereafter China SOX). The scope of China SOX is broader but similar to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) in the U.S. Formal adoptions of China SOX requires management and external auditor’s report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR). A company’s ICFR, if effective, should provide reasonable assurance that the company’s financial statements are reliable and prepared in accordance with the applicable accounting standards. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether China external auditor attestation of ICFR discourage earnings management, an indicator of financial reporting quality. By analyzing a sample of Chinese public firms during 2011 to 2013, we find that: (1) Chinese firms that disclose audited ICFR reports exhibit lower earnings management than firms that do not; (2) Chinese firms that are mandated to disclose audited ICFR reports exhibit lower earnings management than firms that voluntarily disclose audited ICFR reports. Our empirical results seem to suggest that attestation of the effectiveness of ICFR discourages earnings management and therefore improve financial reporting quality. 

scholarly journals SOX Section 404 Twenty Years After: Reviewing Costs and Benefits

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-112
Author(s):  
Bianca Fischer ◽  
Bernadette Gral ◽  
Othmar Lehner
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Earnings Quality ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Section 404 ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley

Some issues of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 are still discussed controversially in literature. Thereof, Section 404 concerning internal control over financial reporting is one of the most criticized parts. This article focuses on costs and benefits of the section and impacts on earnings management. Most authors agree that compliance costs of Section 404 far outweigh its benefits. However, long-term benefits are expected. Regarding earnings management, studies show that the section has positive effects such as increased earnings quality and improved internal control systems. Although the section is heavily debated in literature, there is consensus that SOX Section 404 greatly contributed to the improvement of quality of financial reporting and of corporate governance as a whole.

A Perspective on the SEC’s Proposal to Accept Financial Statements Prepared in Accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) without Reconciliation to U.S. GAAP

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim Jamal ◽  
George J. Benston ◽  
Douglas R. Carmichael ◽  
Theodore E. Christensen ◽  
Robert H. Colson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Securities And Exchange Commission ◽  
International Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Regulatory Changes ◽  
Better Than

SYNOPSIS: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued a call for comment on a proposal to accept financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) without reconciliation to U.S. GAAP. Accounting researchers have attempted to assess the quality of IFRS using different methods and criteria. While we are skeptical of drawing direct conclusions about the SEC’s proposal based on this research, there is adequate evidence that both IFRS and U.S. GAAP provide useful information to investors and other users of financial statements. Moreover, we see no conclusive research evidence that financial reports prepared using U.S. GAAP are better than reports prepared using IFRS. The prudent approach when faced with alternatives with no clear difference in quality is to promote competition among them, which supports adopting the SEC’s proposal to permit foreign private issuers a choice between IFRS and U.S. GAAP. Furthermore, to help improve U.S. and international GAAP through standards-setting competition, we recommend that the Commission extend the choice of IFRS to U.S. companies, and require all companies to indicate clearly whether they are filing under U.S. GAAP or IFRS. Finally, we recommend that the Commission and its staff investigate and seek feedback on the educational consequences of its proposed actions. This attention will help educators to better prepare future professionals to implement these proposed regulatory changes.

scholarly journals Determinant of Indonesia Government Financial Reporting Quality

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (9) ◽  
pp. 595-604
Author(s):  
Januarti Tiurmaida ◽  
Etty Murwaningsari ◽  
Binsar Simanjuntak ◽  
Sekar Mayangsari
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Financial Reports

This study aims to examine the factors that determine the quality of financial statements in the central government in Indonesia at Ministries/Agencies, namely audit findings and follow-up of audit recommendations. This study uses quantitative methods with secondary data from 74 of 88 Ministries/Agencies in the Central Government in Indonesia. The sampling method is purposive sampling with financial statements starting from 2015-2019 which are processed using the STATA. This study shows that audit findings and follow-up of audit recommendations affect the quality of financial reporting. The more audit findings can have a negative impact on the quality of financial reports and the more follow-up on audit results recommendations can have a positive impact on the quality of financial reporting. This study only analyzes audit findings and follow-up of audit recommendations without any other variables that can support the quality of financial statements and can lead to accuracy in this study. Research is important for the central government in maximizing efforts to maintain the quality of financial reports in the context of accountability to stakeholders, especially to the community through the House of Representatives. This study provides new insights into the factors that determine the quality of central government financial reports in Indonesia.

Detection and Severity Classifications of Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 Internal Control Deficiencies

2011 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 825-855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean C. Bedard ◽  
Lynford Graham
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Section 404 ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Objective Evidence ◽  
Control Failure ◽  
Judgment Process ◽  
Internal Control Deficiencies

ABSTRACT: We examine detection and severity classification of internal control deficiencies (ICD) identified under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. While the cost/benefit balance of auditor testing of internal controls is highly controversial, prior research has not examined auditor versus client detection of ICD, nor has it examined factors auditors consider in judging ICD severity. We find that auditors detect about three-fourths of unremediated ICD, usually though control testing. This finding contrasts with extant research inferring control deficiency detection effectiveness from publicly available data, underscoring the value of Section 404 auditor testing in improving financial reporting quality. Auditors judge greater severity when a misstatement has already occurred. In the absence of a misstatement, severity is contingent on client and ICD characteristics, implying a more complex and nuanced judgment process without objective evidence of control failure. We also find that clients often underestimate ICD severity, but this tendency is lower among well-controlled companies with a well-designed Section 404 process.

scholarly journals Accounting Policies, Management Judgements And Financial Reporting Quality Of Small And Medium Enterprises In Nigeria: A Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-70
Author(s):  
Efeeloo Nangih ◽  
Samuel Chikwuchehia Wali ◽  
Peggy Oluchi Anyanwu
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Financial Decisions ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
Accounting Policy

The accounting policy adopted by an enterprise, together with the level of approximations done by the management in financial statements, could either enhance or impair their relevance and reliability, and by extension, the credibility of financial decisions made by users of such reports. This is because financial statements portray the financial position and performance of entities. This study assesses the influence of management’s choice of accounting policy and accounting approximations in financial statements on the quality of financial reports of Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria. The study was anchored on the Stakeholders’ theory. The study also adopted the survey design approach. Data were mainly collected through the questionnaire and was analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression techniques. Findings revealed that wrong approximations may affect the quality of financial reports, together with other factors.  It was recommended that management of small and medium enterprises should adhere to the provisions of accounting standards when designing their accounting policies and in their judgements/approximations; in order to reduce material errors and enhance the quality of their financial report.

Investor Perceptions of Government Deregulation: Evidence from Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin W Hoffman ◽  
John L. Campbell ◽  
Jason L. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Government Regulation ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Internal Controls ◽  
Litigation Risk ◽  
Section 404 ◽  
Fraud Risk ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Public Company

We investigate the stock market's reaction to events leading up to the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's (PCAOB) 2007 regulatory changes that reduced the scope of and documentation requirements for assessments of firms' internal controls over financial reporting (ICFR), as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The stated goal of these regulations was to reduce firms' and auditors' compliance costs with mandatory ICFR assessments, while maintaining the effectiveness of these assessments. We examine abnormal returns surrounding key dates leading to the passage of these regulations and offer two main findings. First, investors reacted negatively on key event dates, suggesting that investors viewed the regulations as likely to reduce financial reporting quality rather than to drive firm and audit efficiencies. Second, this negative market reaction is larger when ICFR effectiveness should matter most - when firms are more complex, have higher litigation risk, and greater fraud risk. In additional analysis, we find that restatements increase in the post-regulation time period, consistent with investors' concerns that the effect of the legislation would be a reduction in ICFR effectiveness. Overall, our results may imply that investors prefer stronger government regulation when it comes to the assessments of a firm's internal controls over financial reporting.

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