Determinants Of Audit Report Lag Research Articles

The determinants of audit report lag: Evidence from Indonesia

The determining factors that cause delays in audit reports are essential for shareholders to pay attention to when making quick decisions. Delays in audit reports receive significant attention in the capital markets where audited financial statements in annual reports are the only reliable source of information available to investors. This study aims to identify factors that cause delays in audit reports in the form of company and industry specifics consisting of profitability, company size, audit committee, audit opinion, and size of a public accounting firm. The research method uses a panel data regression model to test five hypotheses based on data collected from annual reports from 2011 to 2021. The research sample selected were 46 companies in the construction and property services sector listed on the Indonesian Sharia Stock Index. Empirical findings show that a public accounting firm’s profitability, audit opinion, and size hurt audit report lag, while the audit committee has a positive impact. Company size is the only factor that does not have an impact on audit reporting delays. The research results provide recommendations for company management and shareholders that delays in audit reports can be reduced by increasing company profits. Apart from that, audit delay lag can also be reduced by appointing a reputable or international public accounting firm and providing a quality audit opinion.

Determinants of Audit Report Lag: Evidence from Commercial Banks in Indonesia

This research aims to test and analyze the determinants of audit report lag. This research uses purposive sampling and includes commercial banking companies listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange during 2017-2019. Using multiple regression analysis methods, the study found that companies have shorter ARL if they have an audit committee with members with financial expertise or are audited by auditors with industry specialization. These findings indicate that companies with an audit committee with financial expertise or those audited by auditors with industry specialization produce a shorter audit process. However, this research did not find evidence of the influence of the audit committee size, the number of audit committee meetings, and the reputation of independent auditors on ARL

Audit Report Lag. Differential Analysis between Spanish SMEs and Non-SMEs

Audit report lag is considered to be an indicator of audit punctuality and efficiency, while the existence of factors that may determine this lag has been signalled in previous studies. The objective of this study is to identify the determinants of audit report lag in Spanish SMEs, and to analyse the potential singularities of these factors with regards to non-SMEs. With this aim in mind, a set of factors has been analysed; in the previous literature, a relationship has been observed between these factors and the characteristics of the audited company, the auditor and the audit exercise. Additionally, the possible influence of financial crisis and recovery periods is analysed. The sample analysed is made up of 3217 unlisted Spanish firms for the years 2008–2015. Multiple linear regression analysis is used, modelling the audit report lag based on the independent variables related to the characteristics of the audited company, the auditor and the audit exercise. Based on the results obtained, we can support the existence of differences among the independent variables responsible for the audit report lag based on company type (SME/non-SME), with a larger number of factors impacting the audit report lag in SMEs. It is worth noting the significant relationship between audit report lag and opinion and crisis variables, both for the SME and non-SME models. In the case of SMEs, links between audit report lag and the likelihood of bankruptcy, auditor type, number of economic activities carried out by the audited company, the industry to which the audited company pertains, and audit fees were also observed. Furthermore, we can conclude that audit report lag is greater in SMEs and that the independent variables explaining report lag differ according to whether the company is an SME or not.

Board characteristics, auditing characteristics and audit report lag in African Central Banks

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of audit report lag in Sub-Saharan African Central Banks. In this case, the determinants were divided into two categories: independent variables and mediating variables. The independent variables, which were generated from board characteristics, included board size, board gender diversity, governor duality, audit committee size and audit committee meetings. The mediating variables were auditing characteristics and they comprised audit mandate, audit approach and audit quality.Design/methodology/approachThe study used data from 192 observations from African Central Banks' financial reports for the period 2000–2016. The data collected were analyzed using path analysis, whereby four regression models were run and tested simultaneously. From the analysis, the study determined total effects and then decomposed the total effects into direct and indirect effects.FindingsThe study results indicate that in the case of board characteristics, governor duality and audit committee size were found to have a positive influence on audit report lag. In the case of audit quality, only audit mandate was found to have a negative influence on audit quality in the Central Banks. However, the introduction of mediating variables increased the positive effect of governor duality and audit committee size, while also making board size and board gender diversity have a significant negative effect on audit report lag.Practical implicationsThe findings of this paper have implications for the practice and policy of the auditing and governance of Central Banks, which includes designing appropriate governance structures as well as proper auditing strategies.Originality/valueThis is the first study which has examined factors influencing audit report lag in Central Banks. Previous studies on Central Banks' governance have examined the independence and autonomy of the Central Banks, as well as their accounting. This paper extends prior studies by examining the effects of those factors. Another contribution is the study's application of auditing characteristics as mediating variables.

Determinants of Audit Report Lag: Effect of Corporate Governance in Listed Companies in the Malaysian Construction Industry

Determinants of Audit Report Lag: Effect of Corporate Governance in Listed Companies in the Malaysian Construction Industry

Determinants of Audit Report Lag of Commercial Banks in Nepal

The purpose of the study to analyzed the determinants of audit report lag of commercial banks in Nepal. The secondary balance panel data of seven commercial banks for the period of 2013/2014 to 2017/ 2018, latest five years fresh data for the analysis. The sample have been choice from the convenience sampling technique. The descriptive statistics, correlational and casual comparative research design has been employed. The study has been selected audit report lag as dependent variable and return of total assets (ROA), leverage, size of bank, size of board, and bank age as independent variables. The result has been analysis by three different models like Pooled OLS, Fixed Effects and Random Effects Model with the help of Gretl Statistical Software version 1.9.4. The result of Poled OLS and Random Effects Model has appropriate of this cases. In the Fixed Effects Model has not prediction of statically because there is not any variable significant. The study found that leverage and board size are the determinants of audit report lag in the Nepalese commercial banks perspectives. The study also found that the minimum 18 days to maximum 242 days lag of audit report of sample banks. The study concluded that leverage and board size have major determinants of audit report lag in Nepalese samples banks perspectives.

Corporate Governance and Financial Ratios Effect on Audit Report Lag

Objective – the timeliness of financial statement submission becomes important in decision making. With the growing importance of timely financial statements for the relevance of decision making, an understanding of the determinants of audit report lag becomes necessary. This research intends to obtain empirical evidence that corporate governance through board and audit committee characteristics, specifically size, meetings, independence and expertise has an influence on audit report lag. Financial ratios through firm size, profitability and leverage are tested to determine their influence on audit report lag. Methodology/Technique – Hypothesis tests with multiple regression are used with non-financial firms listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange between 2015 to 2017. This research uses purposive sampling with the result of 204 companies sampled and 612 data sets used in the model. Findings – The result of this research show that board size, board meetings, board independence, audit committee size, firm size and profitability all have an influence on audit report lag. Meanwhile, audit committee independence, audit committee expertise, and leverage have no influence on audit report lag. Type of Paper: Empirical Keywords: Board Characteristics; Audit Committee; Financial Ratio; Audit Report Lag. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Firnanti, F; Karmudiandri, A; 2020. Corporate Governance and Financial Ratios Effect on Audit Report Lag, Acc. Fin. Review 5 (1): 15 – 21. https://doi.org/10.35609/afr.2020.5.1(2) JEL Classification: M40, M41, M49 _______________________________________________________________________________________

Firm Size, Profitability, Leverage as Determinants of Audit Report Lag: Evidence From Indonesia

This study examines the factors that influence Audit Report Lag in Indonesia. This factor is seen from the financial performance of the company size, profitability and corporate leverage. The research sample was 91 manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) for the period of 2015 and 2016. The total observation for 2 years amounted to 182. The method of data analysis is random effect models. The results showed that company size and profitability are variables that can shorten Audit Report Lag. Meanwhile, leverage has not empirically proven to have a significant effect. The findings implies that large companies have better information and technology systems compared to smaller companies so as to strengthen internal control and speed of presentation of financial statements. High profitability encourages companies to present financial reports on time so that the impact of ARL decline.

Audit report lag determinants: a panel data regression model with all companies listed on the Dow Jones Stock Index

Audit report lag determinants: a panel data regression model with all companies listed on the Dow Jones Stock Index

Determinants of Audit Report Lag of Financial Statements in Banking Sector

Audit Report Lag (ARL) is the time length of the auditor completing their activities on the client is measured from the end of the fiscal year until the date of audit report was signed. Research related to ARL has been widely carried out in some countries, considering the importance of this issue. This study analyzed the factors that affect ARL on the Conventional Bank Companies listed in the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The sample consisted of 84 companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) which submitted financial reports to OJK (the Financial Service Authority) in the period of 2013-2015. The data used in this research was selected by using purposive sampling method and analysis used multiple linear regression. Based on the analytical results, Profitability, Auditor Opinion, and Firm Reputation had negative significant effect toward ARL. Then Auditor Switching, Complexity, and Board of Size of Director had positive significant effect toward ARL.

Audit report lag determinants: a panel data regression model with all companies listed on the Dow Jones Stock Index

This study aims to analyse the determinants of audit report lag (ARL) in companies listed on the Dow Jones Stock Index and identify whether the companies audited by an auditing firm with expertise in the audited sector have a lower ARL than the others. We applied a panel data regression model with all companies listed on the Dow Jones Stock Index. We collected data from several variables, during the years from 2013 to 2017. We collected the data at the website of each company, in the reference forms and in the standardised financial statements. Other data we collected at the website Edgar Online. We started with the hypothesis that companies audited by expert auditors have a lower ARL than the other companies. The importance of this research lies in the fact that reducing the ARL enables the disclosure of financial statements in time and facilitates the investors' decision-making process.

The determinants of audit report lag: a meta-analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to further the understanding of the determinants of audit report lag, which is the number of days from a company’s fiscal year-end to the date of its auditor’s report, by synthesizing extant literature. Audit report lag has been a variable of interest in many studies due to its use as a proxy for the occurrence of auditor-client management negotiations and audit efficiency and because long audit report lags delay the release of earnings information to the market.Design/methodology/approachThe author uses meta-analysis to examine commonly identified predictors of audit report lag to determine if the prior research provides a consistent portrayal of audit report lag drivers.FindingsThe author finds that a number of variables relating to client profitability and financial condition, client complexity and audit opinion modifications increase audit report lag. In addition, audit report lag decreases with client size, when clients have positive earnings news to report and when the auditor has long tenure and provides non-audit services. Several variables, such as those relating to corporate governance and various auditor characteristics, have been little explored and would benefit from future research.Originality/valueThese results will be useful to researchers when selecting control variables for future audit report lag studies and provide insights into the key factors that contribute to the delay in audit reporting.

Determinants of audit report lag: A meta‐analysis

This paper provides a meta‐analysis of the determinants of audit report lag, defined as the period between a company's fiscal year end and the audit report date. We group the meta‐analyzed studies into three categories: (a) audit and audit‐related determinants, (b) corporate governance‐related determinants, and (c) firm‐specific determinants. We find that audit opinion and audit season variables increase audit report lag, whereas Big 4 affiliation, nonaudit services, and auditor tenure decrease audit report lag. Among the corporate governance determinants, the existence of a financial expert member on an audit committee, and ownership concentration, reduce audit report lag. Finally, an examination of firm‐level characteristics reveals that firm complexity increases audit report lag, whereas profitability reduces it. We employ a meta‐regression technique and identify publication bias. Although we find some evidence of journal quality as a contributor to publication bias, the extent of publication bias from this source is small.

Political connections and audit report lag: Indonesian evidence

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the association between political connections and the audit report lag and whether related party transactions moderate the association between the two.Design/methodology/approachAn ordinary least square regression is estimated whereby audit report lag is regressed on political connections, related party transactions and the interaction between the two. Data on the number and amounts of RPTs are hand-collected from audited financial reports. A firm-year observation is politically connected if at least one large shareholder (controlling at least 10 per cent of the votes directly or indirectly) or board member or commissioner is a current or former Member of Parliament, a minister or head of local government or closely related to a politician or party.FindingsFindings show that the audit report lag is relatively short for politically connected firms but increases when such firms conduct both operating and loan-type related party transactions. This suggests that auditors understand the incentives for, and the implications of, related party transactions and hence exert additional audit efforts in scrutinizing financial statements: activities that will increase the audit report lag.Originality/valueAlthough a large body of empirical research exists on the determinants of audit report lag, none has examined the impact of political connections. This paper further contributes to the auditing literature by documenting auditors’ evaluation of related party transactions in a developing country.

CEO Characteristics and Timeliness of Financial Reporting of Vietnamese Listed Companies

CEO Characteristics and Timeliness of Financial Reporting of Vietnamese Listed Companies

Abnormally Long Audit Report Lag and Future Stock Price Crash Risk: Evidence from China

This paper examines the association between abnormally long audit report lag and future stock price crash. Audit report lag is defined as the period between a company’s fiscal year end and the audit report date, and is informative about audit efficiency. Although a substantial body of literature investigates the determinants of audit report lag, scant empirical evidence exists on the consequences of audit report lag. Using data from Chinese listed companies we find evidence that abnormally long audit report lag increases the risk of a future stock price crash. We further document that this adverse consequence is more pronounced for firms with a poor internal control environment. Our research contributes to the literature on audit report lag, stock price crash risk and the effectiveness of internal control.

Abnormally long audit report lags and future stock price crash risk: evidence from China

PurposeAlthough a substantial body of literature investigates the determinants of audit report lag (ARL), scant empirical evidence exists on the consequences of ARL. The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between abnormally long ARL and future stock price crash risk.Design/methodology/approachThis quantitative study employed a large scale (14,445 firm-year observations) of annual financials, audit and ownership information for the Chinese listed companies during 2002–2013 which were retrieved from the China Stock Market and Accounting Research database.FindingsThis study finds evidence that abnormally long ARL increases the risk of a future stock price crash. Furthermore, the study finds that this adverse consequence is more pronounced for firms with a poor internal control environment.Practical implicationsRecently literature started to explore the consequences of abnormal ARL such as going concern audit opinion and restatements in the subsequent periods. This paper reveals that abnormal ARL has consequences for investor wealth losses as well. This is relevant in China, where the ongoing economic growth has attracted, and will continue to attract, a growing body of domestic and international investors. Understanding what factors could expose investors to wealth losses is of paramount importance for allocating their scarce capital.Originality/valueThis study extends the scant literature on the consequences of ARL, and provides useful insights for the Chinese regulatory authorities when considering the appropriateness of the current filing deadline for listed firms.

Determinants of audit report lag: evidence from Palestine

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to employ agency theory to identify the determinants of the audit delay among Palestinian companies listed on Palestine Stock Exchange (PSE).Design/methodology/approach– Drawing on the agency theory, eight hypotheses are tested using data collected from the year 2011 annual reports for all the 46 listed companies on PSE. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the influence of a set of company characteristics, ownership structure variables, and corporate governance mechanisms.Findings– The result of the analysis demonstrated that the audit reporting delay is influenced by the board size, corporate size, status of audit firm, company complexity, existence of audit committee, and ownership dispersion.Research limitations/implications– The main shortcoming of the current study is that the analysis covered the Palestinian companies’ annual reports for only one year. A time series analysis might give fuller and understandable picture about the audit report lag (ARL) determinants. The outcome of the study can be used by companies’ managements and policy makers in Palestine to improve future disclosure.Originality/value– This paper adds to the limited audit delay literature in Middle East countries in general and Arab World in particular. This paper not only examines the determinants of the audit delay but also attempts to theorize such delay.

Corporate Attributes and Audit Delay in Emerging Markets: Empirical Evidence from Nigeria

The broad objective of the study was to examine the determinants of audit report lag in the Nigerian context. Specifically, the study examined the effects of the following factors on Audit fees; Audit firm type, Leverage, Return on equity, Firm size, subsidiaries and Year-end. The panel research design was used for the study. The data was sourced from the annual reports of all financial companies quoted on the floor of the Nigerian stock exchange. The method of data analysis utilized in the study is the panel data estimation techniques (pooled, fixed and random effects regression). In line with the study objectives, the finding reveals that (i) Company size has no significant positive impact on audit delay. (ii) Firm’s financial performance has a significant impact on Audit delay. (iii) Audit firm type (big 4 and non-big 4) has a significant impact on Audit delay. (iv) Leverage has no significant impact on Audit delay and (v) Number of subsidiaries has a significant impact on Audit delay and (vi) Financial year end has no significant impact on Audit delay. The recommendation is that in achieving the objective of making the financial statements readily available for making timely decisions, the Nigerian stock exchange, Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Reporting Council, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other regulatory bodies should put in place measures to ensure strict compliance with 3 months window for financial reports preparation and presentation.

Determinants of audit report lag in the banking industry: updated evidence

This study examines the determinants of audit report lag (ARL) in the banking industry. Using data from 2001–2010 and models developed from prior research for banks, the pooled sample results show that bank size measured by market capitalisation and profitability measured by return on assets are associated with shorter ARL. Extraordinary items and higher abnormal audit fees are associated with longer ARL. We find that these results are driven by large banks that are subject to internal control requirements under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act and Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We find that the audit of internal controls over financial reporting and the presence of material weaknesses in internal controls are associated with longer ARL in the large bank subsample. The study provides updated evidence on the determinants of audit report lag in the banking industry and finds that the determinants of ARL have changed over a period of regulatory and economic changes in the last decade.