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The Silent Majority: Private U.S. Firms and Financial Reporting Choices

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  • PETRO LISOWSKY
  • MICHAEL MINNIS

Abstract

This study uses a comprehensive panel of tax returns to examine the financial reporting choices of medium‐to‐large private U.S. firms, a setting that controls over $9 trillion in capital, vastly outnumbers public U.S. firms across all industries, yet has no financial reporting mandates. We find that nearly two‐thirds of these firms do not produce audited GAAP financial statements. Guided by an agency theory framework, we find that size, ownership dispersion, external debt, and trade credit are positively associated with the choice to produce audited GAAP financial statements, while asset tangibility, age, and internal debt are generally negatively related to this choice. Our findings reveal that (1) equity capital and trade credit exhibit significant explanatory power, suggesting that the primary focus in the literature on debt is too narrow; (2) firm youth, growth, and R&D are positively associated with audited GAAP reporting, reflecting important monitoring roles of financial reporting; and (3) many firms violate standard explanations for financial reporting choices and substantial unexplained heterogeneity in financial reporting remains. We conclude by identifying opportunities for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Petro Lisowsky & Michael Minnis, 2020. "The Silent Majority: Private U.S. Firms and Financial Reporting Choices," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(3), pages 547-588, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:joares:v:58:y:2020:i:3:p:547-588
    DOI: 10.1111/1475-679X.12306
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Belnap, Andrew & Hoopes, Jeffrey L. & Wilde, Jaron H., 2024. "Who really matters in corporate tax?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1).
    3. Ole-Kristian Hope & Shushu Jiang & Dushyantkumar Vyas, 2021. "Government procurement and financial statement certification: Evidence from private firms in emerging economies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(4), pages 718-745, June.
    4. Ray Ball & Gil Sadka & Ayung Tseng, 2022. "Using accounting earnings and aggregate economic indicators to estimate firm-level systematic risk," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 607-646, June.
    5. Christensen, Brant E. & Eilifsen, Aasmund & Glover, Steven M. & Messier, William F., 2020. "The effect of audit materiality disclosures on investors’ decision making," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    6. Frederick Kibon Changwony & Anthony Kwabena Kyiu, 2024. "Business strategies and corruption in small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises: The impact of business group affiliation, external auditing, and international standards certification," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(1), pages 95-121, January.
    7. Kuo, Nan-Ting & Lee, Cheng-Few, 2024. "Social trust and the choices to provide audited financial statements by private firms in emerging markets," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(2).
    8. Thomas Bourveau & Janja Brendel & Jordan Schoenfeld, 2024. "Decentralized Finance (DeFi) assurance: early evidence," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 2209-2253, September.
    9. Kim, Jinhwan & Olbert, Marcel, 2022. "How does private firm disclosure affect demand for public firm equity? Evidence from the global equity market," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(2).
    10. Badertscher, Brad A. & Kim, Jaewoo & Kinney, William R. & Owens, Edward, 2023. "Assurance level choice, CPA fees, and financial reporting benefits: Inferences from U.S. private firms," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2).
    11. Bhambhwani, Siddharth M. & Huang, Allen H., 2024. "Auditing decentralized finance," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(2).

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