This study investigates the relation between customer concentration and a supplier's cost of equity capital. We hypothesize that a more concentrated customer base increases a supplier's risk, which results in a higher cost of equity. Our results show a positive association between customer...

Exploiting a legal regime change in China in 2005 that significantly increased auditors' legal liability, we reexamine why auditors are more likely to issue modified audit opinions (MAOs) to clients who receive negative press coverage before audit report dates. We find that the probability for...

Beginning in 2005, the SEC mandated firms to include a “risk factor” section in their Form 10-K to discuss “the most significant factors that make the company speculative or risky.” This suggests that regulators believe that investors benefit from disclosures about firm risk and...