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Future Nonaudit Service Fees and Audit Quality

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  • Monika Causholli
  • Dennis J. Chambers
  • Jeff L. Payne

Abstract

Prior to the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002, audit partners experienced economic pressure to grow revenue from the sale of nonaudit services to their audit clients. To an auditor who is highly rewarded for revenue generation and growth, nonaudit services may represent a particularly strengthened economic bond with the client. Prior research shows that, in general, nonaudit service fees received in the current period do not impair audit quality. We examine a different setting. We propose that auditor independence can become impaired, and audit quality compromised, when clients that currently purchase relatively low amounts of nonaudit services, increase their purchases of nonaudit services from the auditor in the subsequent period. We test our prediction in the context of earnings management as a proxy for audit quality, measured by (a) performance†adjusted discretionary accruals and (b) classification shifting of core expenses. Our results indicate that prior to the Sarbanes†Oxley Act, rewards to the auditor in the form of future additional nonaudit service fees from current†year high fee†growth†opportunity clients adversely affects audit quality. This effect is particularly strong among companies with powerful incentives to manage earnings. Our findings indicate that regulators should consider the multiperiod nature of the client–auditor relationship when contemplating policies that restrict nonaudit services, as well as the overall environment in which audit partners operate. This might include partner compensation arrangements that put pressure on audit partners to focus on increasing revenue at the expense of audit quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Monika Causholli & Dennis J. Chambers & Jeff L. Payne, 2014. "Future Nonaudit Service Fees and Audit Quality," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 681-712, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:coacre:v:31:y:2014:i:3:p:681-712
    DOI: 10.1111/1911-3846.12042
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    Cited by:

    1. Ho, Nam, 2023. "Local competition and auditors' provision of non-audit services," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    2. Timothy B. Bell & Monika Causholli & W. Robert Knechel, 2015. "Audit Firm Tenure, Non‐Audit Services, and Internal Assessments of Audit Quality," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 461-509, June.
    3. Beardsley, Erik L. & Imdieke, Andrew J. & Omer, Thomas C., 2021. "The distraction effect of non-audit services on audit quality," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(2).
    4. Tache Marta, 2020. "‘Big 4’ influence on audit market," Central European Economic Journal, Sciendo, vol. 7(54), pages 143-156, January.
    5. Henry L. Friedman & Lucas Mahieux, 2021. "How Is the Audit Market Affected by Characteristics of the Nonaudit Services Market?," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 959-1020, June.
    6. Reshma Kumari Tiwari & Jasojit Debnath, 2021. "Joint Provision of Non-audit Services to Audit Clients: Empirical Evidences from India," Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, , vol. 46(3), pages 153-165, September.
    7. Daniela Hohenfels & Reiner Quick, 2020. "Non-audit services and audit quality: evidence from Germany," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 14(5), pages 959-1007, October.
    8. Sierra-García, Laura & Gambetta, Nicolás & García-Benau, María A. & Orta-Pérez, Manuel, 2019. "Understanding the determinants of the magnitude of entity-level risk and account-level risk key audit matters: The case of the United Kingdom," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 227-240.
    9. Lorenzo Dal Maso & Gerald J. Lobo & Francesco Mazzi & Luc Paugam, 2020. "Implications of the Joint Provision of CSR Assurance and Financial Audit for Auditors' Assessment of Going‐Concern Risk†," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(2), pages 1248-1289, June.

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