The Impact of PCAOB AS5 and the Economic Recession on Client Portfolio Characteristics of the Big 4 Audit Firms

Posted: 29 Jul 2013 Last revised: 5 Jun 2015

See all articles by Joseph H. Schroeder

Joseph H. Schroeder

Indiana University - Kelley School of Business - Department of Accounting

Chris E. Hogan

Michigan State University - Department of Accounting & Information Systems; Michigan State University

Date Written: November 1, 2013

Abstract

We examine the impact of PCAOB Auditing Standard No. 5 (“AS5”) and the economic recession on risk characteristics and degree of auditor/client misalignment in the publicly-traded client portfolios of Big 4 firms. AS5 and the economic recession both likely resulted in an increase in audit firm personnel capacity as well as a decline in current and future revenue prospects, leading to concerns that the Big 4 firms may pursue clients that present greater risk to the portfolio. We find that the overall portfolio in 2009 presents greater financial risk, attributable to the impact of the recession on continuing clients. A net decrease in audit and auditor business risks is also attributable to continuing clients over this period as increases for new clients are offset by reductions due to departing clients. Overall, the results, which should be of interest to regulators, indicate that Big 4 firms continued to balance their portfolio with risk in mind.

Keywords: PCAOB Auditing Standard No. 5, economic recession, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, auditor portfolio, audit risk

Suggested Citation

Schroeder, Joseph H. and Hogan, Chris E. and Hogan, Chris E., The Impact of PCAOB AS5 and the Economic Recession on Client Portfolio Characteristics of the Big 4 Audit Firms (November 1, 2013). Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, Vol. 32, No. 4, 2013, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2302394

Joseph H. Schroeder (Contact Author)

Indiana University - Kelley School of Business - Department of Accounting ( email )

1309 E. 10th Street
Bloomington, IN 47405
United States

Chris E. Hogan

Michigan State University ( email )

N270 Business College Complex
Department of Accounting and Information System
East Lansing, MI 48824-1121
United States

Michigan State University - Department of Accounting & Information Systems ( email )

270 North Business Complex
East Lansing, MI 48824-1034
United States

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