Direct and Mediated Associations among Audit Quality, Earnings Quality, and Share Price: The Case of Jordan

Abstract

Purpose: The current study aims to investigate the relationship between audit quality and the share price in Jordan as a developing market. Moreover, it also uses the role of earnings quality as a mediator factor in the study model. Design/Approach/Methodology: The study sample is comprised of all Jordanian industrial public shareholding companies listed in Amman Stock Exchange during the years 2010 to 2018. Therefore, this study uses a panel data analysis on financial disclosures. Findings: The study concluded that a high audit quality and a high earnings quality separately increase the share price. The earnings quality partially mediates the relationship between audit quality and the share price. It was also found that a high audit quality does not improve earnings quality of the targeted companies. Practical Implication: The findings can be used in efforts to: (i) identify the level of Jordanian market control over audit quality and earnings quality with evidence; (ii) provide more explanations on the importance of audit quality and quality of financial information in the biasness environment; (iii) the results of the this study will be more important for the investors, management, decisions makers, policy makers, and other interested parties; (iv) the findings of the study help the policy makers to adopt good regulations to improve the transparency in reporting the financial information that affects the share price. Originality/Value: The study is an original study and it adds to scholarly debate on effect of audit quality and earnings quality on the share price in Jordan as a developing market. It also uses the role of earnings quality as a mediator factor in the relationship between audit quality and the share price.