We examine whether the adoption of clawback provisions in executive compensation contracts improves the informativeness of accounting information. Contrary to conventional wisdom we find that clawbacks do not lead to improved financial reporting. Specifically, we document a significant decline...

This study examines the economic consequences of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 158, Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans. SFAS No. 158 requires the funded status of postretirement benefit plans be reported on the face of the balance...

Since the 1939 Revenue Act requires a firm using LIFO for taxes to use LIFO for financial reporting, a firm wishing to minimize its tax payments by the use of LIFO must use LIFO as a reporting method. The tax savings to the firm adopting LIFO equals the difference between FIFO cost of goods sold...

This paper analyzes the relationship between a firm's demand for different quality auditors and opportunities for earnings management.In our model, the firm simultaneously chooses the bias it introduces into its pre-audited earnings and the quality of its auditor. We show that firms that choose...