Auditor Task-Specific Expertise: The Case of Fair Value Accounting

Accounting Review, Forthcoming

54 Pages Posted: 12 Jun 2018 Last revised: 9 Aug 2019

See all articles by Jaehan Ahn

Jaehan Ahn

Northeastern University - Accounting Group

Rani Hoitash

Bentley University - Department of Accountancy

Udi Hoitash

Northeastern University - Accounting Group

Date Written: August 6, 2019

Abstract

PCAOB inspections repeatedly indicate deficiencies in audits of FV estimates, resulting in efforts by regulators to improve the related guidance and auditing standards (PCAOB 2017a). Nevertheless, regulators cannot fully resolve the complexity and inherent subjectivity in auditing fair value estimates, and thus, other solutions may be needed. We predict that auditor task-specific FV expertise, gained from work experience during the audit of FV measurements, can contribute to higher audit quality. Utilizing FV-related restatements and comment letters, we find that expertise in auditing Level 3 FV estimates at the office-level is associated with greater FV audit quality. Level 2 FV expertise or national-level FV expertise are not associated with higher FV audit quality. Following the receipt of a comment letter, we further find that auditor FV expertise is associated with lower comment letter remediation costs and higher FV disclosure quality. Finally, we find that the value relevance of Level 3 FV disclosures increases with the extent of auditor FV expertise. Collectively, our results highlight that auditor fair value expertise contributes to the credibility and usefulness of FV disclosures.

Keywords: Auditor expertise, task-specific expertise, fair value, restatements, comment letters, value relevance, XBRL

JEL Classification: M41, M42

Suggested Citation

Ahn, Jaehan and Hoitash, Rani and Hoitash, Udi, Auditor Task-Specific Expertise: The Case of Fair Value Accounting (August 6, 2019). Accounting Review, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3192536 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3192536

Jaehan Ahn

Northeastern University - Accounting Group ( email )

404 Hayden Hall
360 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA 02115
United States

Rani Hoitash (Contact Author)

Bentley University - Department of Accountancy ( email )

175 Forest Street
Waltham, MA 02452-4705
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.xbrlresearch.com

Udi Hoitash

Northeastern University - Accounting Group ( email )

360 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA 02115
United States
671-373-5839 (Phone)

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