We investigate the association between public versus private ownership and future long-term changes in profitability. Managers have long debated the implications of public and private corporate ownership; however, little empirical research has provided insight into the issue. We find robust...

Are “full audits” cost-effective in improving financial reporting quality compared to “reviews,” which are based primarily on analytical procedures and inquiries? The answer is important because independent verification cost-effectiveness is being challenged globally and recent advances...

A number of studies have examined the effect of public and private ownership on the cost of debt and conclude that the cost of debt of privately owned firms is higher, driven mainly by the poorer information environment in which these firms operate. We extend this strand of research in two ways....

This study examines the tax implications of pretax earnings management. Prior research has examined pretax earnings management activities that have current income tax consequences (book-tax 'conforming earnings management') and earnings management activities that do not have current income tax...

We examine whether misvaluation of publicly traded industry peers is associated with capital expenditures by privately-held firms. An economic competition hypothesis predicts a negative relation because misvaluation-induced new investment by public firms crowds out investment by private firms...

In this study we develop a measure of corporate tax avoidance that reduces both financial and taxable income, which we refer to as “book-tax conforming” tax avoidance. We use simulation analyses, LIFO/FIFO inventory method conversions, and samples of private and public firms, to validate our...

We examine the prevalence, determinants, and consequences of cheap stock. “Cheap stock” refers to equity-based compensation valued at less than fair value. Cheap stock grants have drawn regulators’ attention, with the SEC frequently commenting on issues related to cheap stock when...

We analyze a set of firms that restated earnings upward because of accounting irregularities and thus presumably had managed earnings downward. Our results are consistent with the restatement sample firms having managed earnings downward in their original financial statements to create cookie...

Prior research has separately examined pretax earnings management activities that have current taxable income consequences (book-tax 'conforming earnings management') and those that do not have current taxable income consequences (book-tax 'nonconforming earnings management'). Our study...