The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was passed by Congress to better protect investors. Section 404 of this act (SOX 404) requires companies to review their internal controls over financial reporting (ICFR) and declare whether they are “effective” or “ineffective”. In … Continue reading
Category Archives: Quality of Reporting
2018 Financial Restatements Review
The annual Audit Analytics report on financial restatement trends is now available. This report provides a detailed analysis and comparison of trends in financial restatements over an eighteen-year period. When looking at restatements, we categorize them by two levels: reissuance restatements and revision restatements. Reissuance restatements, sometimes … Continue reading
Pros and Cons of Using Non-GAAP Metrics for Executive Compensation, Including ESG Considerations
This article was first available to subscribers of Accounting Quality Insights by Audit Analytics on Bloomberg, Eikon, FactSet, and S&P Global. There has been considerable debate about companies that use non-GAAP metrics for executive compensation and whether these firms are … Continue reading
Could SEC Charges Have Been Predicted for GT Advanced Technologies?
Note: This article was first available to subscribers of Accounting Quality Insights by Audit Analytics on Bloomberg, Eikon, FactSet, and S&P Global. Key Points: SEC fined former CEO of GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) over $140,000 in connection with making false … Continue reading
Academic Literature Review: Accounting Reporting Complexity and Non-GAAP Earnings Disclosure
The overall complexity of financial disclosures affects the ability of anyone reading the financial statements, including stockholders, regulators, and investors, to analyze and assess the information presented. One way to measure complexity of disclosures is by determining accounting reporting complexity … Continue reading
What Caused SEC Investigation for Healthcare Services Group, Inc.?
Note – This article has been updated to clarify the following: In the notification of late filing for their 2018 annual report, Healthcare Services Group disclosed the receipt of an SEC subpoena, after nearly 18 months of investigation. Previously, the … Continue reading
Reasons for an Amended 10-K: 2018
Form 10-K, an annual report filed by US-based public registrants, is the most comprehensive source of information regarding a company’s financials and its underlying business. These reports are thoroughly scrutinized by investors and other users, which explains why they need … Continue reading