This monograph is one of the few books to investigate the understudied but fascinating topic of accounting restatement in the European context. In the first chapter, substantial changes over time in treatments for correction of errors under the International Financial Reporting Standards and Italian generally accepted accounting principles are examined. Following that, a brief overview of the literature, mainly concerning the United States environment, and characteristics of and trends in accounting issues drawn from restatements announced by a sample of firms listed in European countries from 2016 to 2020 are presented. After a review of multi-country empirical research, chapter 3 presents an assessment of the frequency and severity of restatements at the country, industry and year levels. Finally, chapter 4 considers the forewarning effect of topics communicated in the key audit matters in relation to subsequently revealed account-specific misstatements by proposing a new matching procedure. Throughout the work, the author provides frequent comparisons with findings obtained by United States scholars.

This monograph is one of the few books to investigate the understudied but fascinating topic of accounting restatement in the European context. In the first chapter, substantial changes over time in treatments for correction of errors under the International Financial Reporting Standards and Italian generally accepted accounting principles are examined. Following that, a brief overview of the literature, mainly concerning the United States environment, and characteristics of and trends in accounting issues drawn from restatements announced by a sample of firms listed in European countries from 2016 to 2020 are presented. After a review of multi-country empirical research, chapter 3 presents an assessment of the frequency and severity of restatements at the country, industry and year levels. Finally, chapter 4 considers the forewarning effect of topics communicated in the key audit matters in relation to subsequently revealed account-specific misstatements by proposing a new matching procedure. Throughout the work, the author provides frequent comparisons with findings obtained by United States scholars.

Never before has a single reference provided such quick access to every critical aspect of financial reporting. In addition to covering the new Sarbanes-Oxley legislation, SEC rules and regulations, and corporate governance standards promulgated by the Independence Standards Board and the AICPA at institutions such as New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, and the American Stock Exchange, the Financial Reporting Handbook tackles important underlying themes such as the centrality of the audit committee, the individual responsibility of executives, and the integrity of the outside auditor. Best of all, the Financial Reporting Handbook will be updated every quarter with the relevant laws and regulations that are developed and implemented.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board recently proposed amendments to the standard audit report that would require the disclosure of critical audit matters (CAMs), and the Securities and Exchange Commission continues to evaluate the use of principles-based (imprecise) accounting standards within U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. We assert that precise accounting standards are perceived by jurors to constrain auditors' control over financial reporting outcomes, resulting in a lower propensity for negligence verdicts when the accounting treatment conforms to the precise standard. However, we hypothesize that the use of either imprecise standards or CAMs removes this constraint, leading to increased auditor liability. We present experimental evidence, including a mediation analysis, supporting this argument. Our results highlight the similarities between the effects of imprecise accounting standards and CAMs on negligence assessments. The results provide insight for regulators and the profession about the potential interactive consequences of the proposed regulatory changes.

The regulatory framework for financial reporting, auditing and governance has changed radically in recent years, as a result of problems identified from the Enron scandal and more recently from the drive to implement global standards. In a key regulatory change, a company audit committee is now expected to play a significant role in agreeing the contents of the financial statements and overseeing the activities of the auditors. Finance Directors, Audit Committee Chairs and Audit Engagement Partners are required to discuss and negotiate financial reporting and auditing issues, a significant process leading to the agreement of the published numbers and disclosures, and to the issuing of the auditor's report which accompanies them, but which is entirely unobservable by third parties. Reaching Key Financial Reporting Decisions: How Directors and Auditors Interact is a fascinating, behind-the-scenes examination of this closed process. The authors draw on the results of face to face interviews, and an extensive survey of finance directors, audit committee chairs and audit partners, and present nine company case studies highlighting the process of discussion and negotiation and the methods by which the agreed financial reporting outcome was reached. Detailed analysis of the case studies: Allows those involved in the process to benchmark their behaviours against those of others Enables a comparison between the previous and current regulatory environments to see what has changed, and sheds light on the sorts of behaviours the current regulatory framework encourages Evaluates the effectiveness of the changed regulatory regime, providing evidence relevant to current policy debates concerning the value of audit, IFRS and the relative merit of rules-based versus principles-based accounting standards in relation to professional judgement and compliance The unprecedented access and unique insights offered by this book make it invaluable for audit firm staff and partners, audit committee chairs and company directors involved in agreeing the published financial statements, as well as those who have an interest in the financial statements, but do not have access to the negotiation process.