Accounting Commons^™

The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Mergers And Acquisitions, Goodwill, And Goodwill Impairment In The Technology Industry, Dee Webster

Honors Scholar Theses

I explore associations between COVID-19 and changes in mergers and acquisitions (M&As), goodwill valuation, and goodwill impairments in the technology industry. Prior literature explores the pandemic’s effects on the dynamics of M&As, goodwill, and goodwill impairment, but are not specific to the pandemic’s impact on the technology industry. This study references prior literature to provide conceptual support as well as research findings to examine the overall changes in technology companies of interest in this study. First, I find that M&A activity before COVID-19 and during COVID-19 was not substantially different when averaged. Second, I find that there was a significant …

Sec Reporting Of Cybersecurity Incidents, Michaela Morosky

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper documents the reporting to the SEC of 197 major incidents of cybersecurity breaches among public firms in the years 2011-2019. My goal is to contribute to the debate on the need to revise the disclosure guidance by evaluating the extent to which cybersecurity breaches are disclosed in SEC filings under the current regulatory regime. In evaluating the individual breaches, I document whether prior to the SEC’s 2022 proposed amendment, firms were already following the SEC recommendation of disclosing material cybersecurity breaches in a timely manner. I find that it is extremely rare for a firm to follow the …

Impact Of The Quality Of Esg Reporting On Profitability Of Trucking And Oil Companies, Diane Meng

Honors Scholar Theses

A growing number of companies have been providing disclosures regarding ESG issues and goals in their financial reports. Studies have investigated the association between the quality of ESG reporting and the financial performance of various companies, which showed various results. However, the association between the two factors remains unclear. In this study, I examine the relationship between the quality of ESG reporting and the profitability of companies in the trucking and oil industries from 2011 to 2020. I predict that greater quality of ESG reporting results in higher profitability of companies in both industries. Overall, the results of this study …

The Association Fallacy – Fraud And Financial Reporting Quality In The Customer-Supplier Relationship, Nicholas Willett

Honors Scholar Theses

As with individuals, corporate entities are vulnerable to committing logical fallacies in the decision-making process. One such fallacy that has been observed across multiple disciplines is the phenomenon of guilt by association, here referred to as the “association fallacy.” In this study, I demonstrate the existence of the association fallacy within historical customer-supplier relationships, during which the supplier is named in an SEC Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Release (AAER). A panel regression is employed to track indicators of customer earnings management behavior in the years before, during, and after the supplier AAER. A cross-sectional analysis is also used to assess …

Tax Efficient Supply Chains: Analysis Of Multinational Corporations With Swiss Subsidiaries, David Liu

Honors Scholar Theses

I examine whether U.S. corporations can strategically organize global supply chains to achieve tax efficiency by creating or acquiring subsidiaries in Switzerland. In particular, I study if there is an association between a firm’s use of Swiss subsidiaries and the firm’s effective tax rate using a sample of firm years from 1998 to 2013. Under U.S. rules prior to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), firms with subsidiaries in low-tax-rate foreign countries (e.g., Switzerland) could generally avoid U.S. tax on foreign income by not repatriating income. The 2014 Caterpillar Inc. case study offers an example of how …

The Impact Of Asu 2016-14 On Not-For-Profit Operating Cash Flow Presentation, Grace Lauber

Honors Scholar Theses

In 2011, FASB added a project to its agenda to improve financial statement reporting for not-for-profit (NFP) entities. They issued a proposal in 2015 that would require all NFPs to use the direct method to report operating cash flows on the statement of cash flows. This proposal received a wide range of feedback from NFPs via comment letters. In response to this feedback, FASB altered the final update, ASU 2016-14, to continue allowing the indirect method. However, they encouraged use of the direct method by removing the indirect method reconciliation requirement for NFPs. This study examines the responses of 129 …

Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting: The Case Of The Fashion Industry, Karina Zhao

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper examines the nature of corporate social responsibility (CSR), with a focus on corporations within the fashion industry. First, I discuss the evolution of CSR from its origin in the 1930s until present day, along with global trends that have risen in respect to emerging economies, industry sectors, and regulatory change. Then, I summarize factors that motivate firms to prepare and provide CSR reports – i.e., the determinants of voluntary disclosure of CSR reports. In addition, I discuss to what extent these reports are regulated and assured across the globe, as an increasing number of corporations participate in disclosing …

The Effect Of Sox 404(B) On Large Non-Accelerated Filers’ Earnings Per Share Rounding Behavior, David Bigos

Honors Scholar Theses

I examine whether firms with the ability to manipulate earnings per share (EPS) rounding and the incentive to defer the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Section 404(b) (SOX 404(b)) compliance round down EPS to understate earnings before a public float evaluation in the second fiscal quarter. I build on existing literature that acknowledges some firms may manipulate the post-decimal (thousandths) digit of EPS and that firms near the SOX 404(b) public float compliance threshold may initiate avoidance techniques to defer the marginal cost of an Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR) external audit. By comparing the rounding behavior of accelerated filers …

Shootings And Their Effect On Stock Price And Volume In The Firearm Manufacturing Industry, Conor O'Donnell

Honors Scholar Theses

This article investigates how mass shootings are influencing the price and trading volume of firearm manufacturers differently than the previously documented “fear-based” gun sales price spikes. (Wallace, 2015). It is expected that, following a mass shooting, firearms sales increase due to a fear of legislation banning products and a limited timeframe to obtain them. For instance, The Financial Times of London reported 52% increase of gun sales in the year following the Sandy Hook shooting; however, in the long term, if there is regulation that limits the autonomy of manufacturers then investors would be inclined to divest in firearms manufacturers. …

Valuation Of Intangible Assets: Should Brand Equity Be Accounted For On The Balance Sheet?, Brooke Wasserman

Honors Scholar Theses

Brand valuation has become a commonplace tool for assessing company performance related to marketing and promotions of businesses. However, current U.S. and international accounting standards inhibit the recording of brands as assets on financial statements due to their intangible nature. This paper discusses the importance of understanding the contribution that brands provide to companies and outlines the potential options for reporting any associated intangible assets on financial statements. I suggest that additional reports should be included alongside currently required financial statements to record brand value separately from the other statements. The intangible brand assets should not be placed as a …

Corporate Tax Havens: Analysis Of An Aggressive Tax Approach As A Strategic Necessity For Large Multinational Corporations, Julia Galica

Honors Scholar Theses

This study will examine the complexities of corporate tax planning, with a focus on tax deferral strategies employed by United States multinational corporations, providing a financial and ethical analysis of corporate tax entities. The focus will be on multinational corporations, primarily Fortune 500 Companies. It will then evaluate trends across industries and contrast the patterns of unrecognized tax benefits reported by large and small scale public companies. Additionally, the paper will analyze the effective tax rate paid by a sample of corporations of varying size and industry, and how these characteristics of the business correlate with this rate. The study …

Public Accounting, International Standards, And You: A Closer Look On The Impact Of Ifrs And Gaap Convergence, Daniella Lomo

Honors Scholar Theses

The convergence of US GAAP and IFRS has been significant for the US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) over the decade. Due to major differences such as with the consolidation model and the special entities (i.e. Research and Development), there are concerns of how the convergence will affect the accounting practice. The US GAAP is known to have more industry-based details than the IFRS, and so it is essential to know what kind of issues lie from industry to industry. Here, our focus is within the life sciences. More specifically, this paper examines …

Minorities And Women In Accounting, Alyssa K. Lee

Honors Scholar Theses

Traditionally, the field of public accounting has been dominated by white males. Today, minorities and women have been steadily penetrating the profession. As these diverse groups work together, conflicts in culture and awareness often arise. In this paper, I will discuss some of the origins of these conflicts and their effects on the people involved.

Management Fee Provisions And Performance In The U.S. Mutual Fund Industry, Brett Anthony Averso

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper examines the extent to which generous portfolio management compensation is commensurate to long-term mutual fund performance, over the course of five to ten years. If the relationship between the compensation provision and historical performance exists, the maximum percent management fees as disclosed on the fund prospectuses could be employed as a covariance factor for a model of portfolio pricing. The results indicate that there is relationship between portfolio net assets and this compensation provision. The results do not support the hypothesis that a relationship exists between the size of the maximum percent management fee and long term fund …

The $1.2 Trillion United States Tax Expenditures In 2011: A Deeper Look Into Corporate Tax Expenditures, Chante Sommerville

Honors Scholar Theses

The $1.2 trillion U.S. tax expenditures in 2011: A Deeper look into the Corporate Tax Expenditures examines U.S. Federal government revenue losses attributed to tax expenditures. This paper will discuss the rationale, functions, and benefits of the 173 tax expenditures within the U.S. Tax Code. Specifically, this paper will concentrate on three significant provisions that benefit corporations predominantly: accelerated depreciation of machinery and equipment, deferral of income from controlled foreign corporations, and deduction for US production activities. The U.S. tax expenditures in 2011: A Deeper look into the Corporate Tax Expenditures solely aims to inform readers about one perspective to …

Effects Of Accounting Regulations On Economic Decision-Making: A Case Study In The Film Industry, Christopher Rizzio

Honors Scholar Theses

Big actors, big effects, and big budgets all characterize today’s movies. Companies that produce these films have continued to increase spending to create better pictures and attract more people to the theatre. As part of the media and entertainment industry, film companies are subject to several specific accounting rules that govern the reporting of revenues and the classification of film expenses. However, many of these rules issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) are subject to a good deal of interpretation. These ambiguities can make it difficult to correctly report earnings in an industry that spends billions of dollars …

Measuring Tax Aggressiveness After Fin 48: The Effect Of Multinational Status, Multinational Size, And Disclosures, Audrey E. Manning

Honors Scholar Theses

Abstract: Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48 Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (FIN 48) caused substantial change and controversy in the accounting and financial reporting for income taxes when it was released in 2006. This study utilizes a sample of public firms to examine the post-FIN 48 tax environment, focusing on tax aggressiveness. More specifically, this paper will (1) compare the tax aggressiveness of domestic and multinational firms,

(2) investigate the relationship between tax aggressiveness and multinational size, as measured by the number of foreign jurisdictions, and (3) assess the overall quality of FIN 48-related tax footnote disclosures …

Accounting For Goodwill Pre&Post Sfas 142 And The Implications For Earnings Management, Liang Jian Wu

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis explores how impairment charges driven by management assessment have led to the possibility of earnings management under the SFAS 142 standard. The goal of carrying out this research is to help the user understand the implications behind allowing management to judge impairment charges (US GAAP) versus pre SFAS 142 when intangibles such as a goodwill were amortized (currently IFRS).

How has SFAS 142 opened the door for earnings management? If there is evidence to prove this assumption, then what factors drive management's impairment decisions. This information is pertinent to investors when analyzing a potential investment as goodwill can …

Sarbanes-Oxley And Corporate Greed, Adria L. Stigliano

Honors Scholar Theses

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act is still a relatively new federal law set forth by the Securities Exchange Commission in 2002. Since its implementation, individuals have been wondering if Sarbanes-Oxley is effective enough and doing what it is meant to do – catch and prevent future accounting frauds and scandals. With the use of closer and stricter rules, the SOA is trying to prevent frauds with the use of a created Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Most importantly, however, it was created to protect the investors from self-interested managers, so as to not have repeats of the Enron, WorldCom and Tyco International …

Impact On Financial Statements Of New Accounting Model For Leases, Wenqi Ma

Honors Scholar Theses

On August 17, 2010 the IASB and FASB published an Exposure Draft on leases. A new accounting model for leases which would include both financing lease and operating leases was proposed. According to the World Leasing Yearbook 2010, $640 billion was involved in leasing activity, of which a significant amount is not reported on the lessees' balance sheets [1]. The current leases which firms report in the financial statement notes showed that most companies currently have financing leases although many do not capitalize all of these leases. The new accounting model for leases would be a challenge for companies to …

The International Financial Reporting Standards And Their Implementation Into The Us Accounting System, Mindyleigh Dols

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper examines the differences between the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The areas closely examined are the differences inrevenue recognition and reporting of intangibles. By investigating the differences in the two sets of standards I put into context the changes that would be necessary for domestic companies adopting the IFRS. The differences between these two standards are important because the implementation of IFRS into the U.S. is a current issue for domestic companies. It is important to note how the new standards will affect different companies in different ways. Depending on the size …

Recession Transgressions: Financial Mishaps That Led To The Credit Crisis, Kyle Nemchek

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper explores the financial crisis of 2007-2010 and its causes, including: questionable monetary policy, loose lending standards, the emergence of structured finance products designed to conceal the true risk of subprime loans, a lack of independence and due diligence on the part of credit rating agencies, and the failure of oversight bodies to properly monitor or regulate the parties responsible for the crisis.

Tracking The Trends In Inventory Management In The Automobile Manufacturing Industry Throughout The Business Cycle, Rishi Gokarn

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper investigates the trends in inventory management in the automobile manufacturing industry during recessionary vs. non-recessionary periods. It is an empirical approach to testing the validity of the hypothesis that firms which carry leaner inventories perform better throughout the business cycle and are less affected by variability in the economy than less lean firms. The research also hopes to shed some light on how firm's financial statements can be manipulated through discretionary adjustments made by management pertaining to the valuation of inventories.

Price Multiples As Indicators Of Stock Price Movement: Evidence From The 21st Century, Jason Zamichiei

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper examines the use of price multiples to predict stock returns. The price to earnings, price to sales, and price to book value multiples are regressed against annual stock returns to determine if a relation between the magnitude of the multiples and returns exists. The results indicate that there are relations between low price to earnings and price to sales multiples and positive returns. I find no evidence that the price to book value multiple can be used to develop a stock buying strategy.

Debate Over Fair Value Accounting: Should We Allow Politics To Take An Active Role In Setting Accounting Standards Or Should We Trust That The Sec Knows Best?, Melina Botcheva

Honors Scholar Theses

In light of the recent economic downfall, there has been significant media coverage on the topic of fair value accounting. There are many critics of the accounting rule, who place blame on it for the destruction of billions of dollars in capital between financial institutions. Other commentators, however, see the rule as necessary and applaud its ability to bring the turmoil in the economy into the spotlight promptly so that it could be addressed effectively. This paper will begin by conducting a study of fair-value accounting from its inception in previous standards and then follow it through to Statement No. …

Analysis Of The Lifo Inventory Valuation Method During The Onset Of Ifrs, Joseph Louis Romeo

Honors Scholar Theses

I propose that the Last in, First out (LIFO) inventory valuation method needs to be reevaluated. I will evaluate the impact of the LIFO method on earnings of publically traded companies with a LIFO reserve over the past 10 years.

I will begin my proposal with the history of how the LIFO method became an acceptable valuation method and discuss the significance of LIFO within the accounting profession Next I will provide a description of LIFO, the First in, First out (FIFO), and the weighted average inventory valuation methods and explore the differences among each. More specifically, I will explore …

Accounting For Athletics: A Balanced Scorecard Approach, Daniel D. Delaney

Honors Scholar Theses

The Balanced Scorecard is a managerial accounting system designed for internal use in order to align four different facets of a business with its overall vision and strategy. It emphasizes that an organization should not be judged on financial performance alone, but also on a variety of non-financial metrics. Using the Balanced Scorecard, the Athletic Department at the University of Connecticut has been analyzed as to which metrics are the most important in terms of fulfilling their mission statement.

Scaling The Costs Of 404 Testing To Fit The Needs Of Small Public Companies, Daniel Hallarin

Honors Scholar Theses

In July of 2002, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was passed by Congress, including section 404 which requires the auditors to test and opine on the company's internal controls. Since that time there has been much debate about whether the intended benefits of increased investor confidence and financial statement transparency trump the unexpectedly high compliance costs, especially for public companies with market-caps less than $75 million. Before these companies begin complying in the upcoming year, interest groups are calling for the requirements to be 'scaled' to better fit the needs of these companies. While auditors already are expected to scale their audit …

The Acceleration Of Stock Options In Anticipation Of Fas 123 (R), Kayleen St. John

Honors Scholar Theses

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) mandated the expensing of stock options with FAS 123 (R). As of March 2006, 749 companies had accelerated the vesting of their employee stock options and avoided a reduction in their reported profits that otherwise would have occurred under the new standard. There are many different motives for the acceleration strategy, and the focus of this study is to determine whether shareholders viewed these motives as either positive or negative. A favorable return subsequent to an acceleration announcement would signify that shareholder's viewed management's motives as positive. An unfavorable return subsequent to an acceleration …

Cpa Shortage, Alexis Hanson

Honors Scholar Theses

This report is on current issue of the shortage of Certified Public Accountants. It discusses the reasons for the shortage, such as the newest 150-hour requirement, as well as the increased need for accountants after Sarbanes-Oxley. Also, It discusses what companies are doing to get more people into the accounting profession and keep the people they have. There is also a Case Study on what Deloitte & Touche is doing to help their firm. This paper develops ideas and possible solutions to help accounting firms deal with and change the current shortage situation they are in.