The Impact of Sarbanes-Oxley on Internal Control Remediation

This study uses logistic regression analysis to examine the determinants of internal control weakness remediation on a sample of firms that reported internal control weaknesses at the end of fiscal year 2004, and then reported the presence or absence of internal control weaknesses at the end of fiscal year 2005. Our sample included 243 firms. Of these, 174 firms reported internal control weaknesses in the 2004 filing with the SEC, but had successfully remediated them one year later. The remaining 69 firms reported internal control weaknesses in 2004 and again in 2005. We found that resources available to the firms (e.g., return on assets, size) was positively associated with remediation. Use of a Big 4 auditor, having more audit committee meetings, having more business segments, having less time to remediate between the 2004 financial statement filings and the end of the 2005 fiscal year (i.e., filing lag) were negatively associated with successful remediation. Also negatively associated with remediation were the number and type (general control weakness versus specific account weakness) of internal control weaknesses the firms had