Auditor gender and stock price crash risk: evidence from China

Abstract

ABSTRACT Stock price crash risk is attributed to agency problems and information asymmetry. Auditors generally play a more important governance function in countries with weak legal institutions. Previous studies document that audit judgements and information processing differ by auditor gender, which ultimately impacts the quality of audited financial reporting and the governance role. This study examines the relationship between auditor gender and stock price crash risk, particularly whether female auditors may reduce stock price crash risk because of their risk aversion and ethics. Using a large sample in China with weak legal institutions, this study finds that female auditors play a governance role in curbing stock price crash risk, and the effect is dominant in the firms with high agency costs. Also, these findings are robust to a battery of tests. Finally, this study conducts two sets of cross-sectional analyses, indicating that the effect of auditor gender mostly concentrates on non-state-owned enterprises with high agency costs, and on firms with non-busy auditors that are deemed to have sufficient time to properly engage their audits. This study extends the literature on determinants of crash risk and has implications for firms, stakeholders and monitors over reducing crash risk to keep sustainable growth.