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JOHNSTONE
GRAMLING
RITTENBERG
AUDITING
A Risk-based Approach
11T H E D I T I O N 11T H E D I T I O N
SE / Johnstone/Gramling/Rittenberg / Auditing: A Risk-Based Approach, 11e ISBN-13: 9781337619455 ©2019 Designer: Stratton Design
Printer: Xxxxx Binding: Casebound Trim: 8.5” x 10.875” CMYK
19455_fm_hr_i-xxxi.indd 4 1/24/18 3:36 PM
Contents
1 Quality Auditing:
Why It Matters 2 2 The Auditor’s Responsibilities
Regarding Fraud and
Mechanisms to Address Fraud:
An Overview of External Auditing 4 Regulation and Corporate
Decision Makers’ Need for Reliable Information
and the Role of a Financial Statement Audit 4 Governance 56
What Is a Financial Statement Audit? 6
Parties Involved in Preparing and Auditing Financial Fraud Defined 58
Statements 9 Misappropriation of Assets 58
Providers of External Auditing Services 9 Fraudulent Financial Reporting 58
Skills and Knowledge Needed by External Auditors 10
The Fraud Triangle 60
Achieving Audit Quality 11 Incentives or Pressures to Commit Fraud 62
Audit Firm Culture 12 Opportunities to Commit Fraud 62
Skills and Qualities of the Engagement Team 13 Rationalizing the Fraud 63
Effectiveness of the Audit Process 13
Reliability and Usefulness of Audit Reporting 13 History of Fraudulent Financial Reporting 64
Factors Outside the Control of Auditors 14 Examples of Recent Frauds and Implications for External
Auditors 64
Professional Conduct Requirements that Help Insights from COSO Studies 64
Auditors Achieve Audit Quality 15 The Enron Fraud 67
AICPA Requirements: Code of Professional Conduct 16
Fraud: Auditors’ Responsibilities and Users’
SEC and PCAOB: Other Guidance on Professional
Responsibilities 25 Expectations 72
International Professional Requirements That Help Fraud-Related Requirements in Professional Auditing
Auditors Achieve Audit Quality 27 Standards 72
Frameworks for Professional and Ethical Decision The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 as a Regulatory
Making 28 Response to Fraud 74
A Framework for Professional Decision Making 28 Corporate Governance Defined 77
A Framework for Ethical Decision Making 32 Characteristics of Effective Corporate Governance 80
Importance of Client Acceptance and Continuance Responsibilities of Audit Committees 81
Decisions to Audit Quality 35 Significant Terms 84
Risks Considered in Client Acceptance and Continuance
Prompt for Critical Thinking 85
Decisions 37
Other Considerations 39 Review Questions and Short Cases 86
Engagement Letters 39 Fraud Focus: Contemporary and Historical Cases 91
Significant Terms 41 Application Activities 95
Prompt for Critical Thinking 44 Academic Research Cases 97 v
4
(COSO Principle 1) 106
The Board of Directors Exercises Oversight Responsibility Professional Legal
(COSO Principle 2) 106
Management Establishes Structure, Authority, and Liability 148
Responsibility (COSO Principle 3) 107
The Organization Demonstrates Commitment to The Legal Environment and the Effects of Lawsuits
Competence (COSO Principle 4) 107 on Audit Firms 150
The Organization Enforces Accountability Liability Doctrines 150
(COSO Principle 5) 108
Class Action Lawsuits 151
Risk Assessment 109 Contingent-Fee Compensation for Lawyers 151
Management Specifies Relevant Objectives The Audit Viewed as an Insurance Policy: The Expectations
(COSO Principle 6) 109 Gap 152
The Organization Identifies and Analyzes Risk
Applicable Laws and Causes of Legal Action 153
(COSO Principle 7) 110
Types of Law and Legal Actions Relevant to Auditors 153
The Organization Assesses Fraud Risk (COSO Principle 8) 110
Parties that May Bring Suit Against Auditors 154
The Organization Identifies and Analyzes Significant Change
(COSO Principle 9) 110 Auditor Liability under Contract Law, Common Law,
Control Activities 111 and Statutory Law 156
The Organization Selects and Develops Control Activities Contract Law: Liability to Clients 156
(COSO Principle 10) 112 Common Law: Liability to Third Parties 157
Management Selects and Develops General Controls Over Statutory Law: Liability to Third Parties 158
Technology (COSO Principle 11) 115 Significant Terms 162
The Organization Deploys Control Activities Through Policies
and Procedures (COSO Principle 12) 116 Review Questions and Short Cases 163
Information and Communication 117 Fraud Focus: Contemporary and Historical Cases 167
The Organization Uses Relevant Information Application Activities 168
(COSO Principle 13) 117
The Organization Communicates Internally Academic Research Case 169
(COSO Principle 14) 118
5
The Organization Communicates Externally
(COSO Principle 15) 118 Professional Auditing
Monitoring 120 Standards and the Audit
The Organization Conducts Ongoing and/or Separate Opinion Formulation
Evaluations (COSO Principle 16) 120
Management Evaluates and Communicates Deficiencies
Process 170
(COSO Principle 17) 121
Professional Auditing Standards 172
Management’s Responsibilities for Internal Control
Auditing Standards Issued by the AICPA, IAASB,
Over Financial Reporting 122 and PCAOB 173
Management Documentation of Internal Control 122
Comparing the Auditing Standards 174
Management Reporting on Internal Control Over Financial
Reporting 123 Principles Underlying the Auditing
Evaluating Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 125 Standards 175
Assessing Deficiencies in Internal Control Over Financial PCAOB Guidance—Five Topical Categories
Reporting 127 of Standards 175
AICPA Guidance: Principles Governing an Audit 176 Additional Evidence Considerations 247
IAASB Guidance: Objectives of an Audit 176 Auditing Management Estimates 247
Overview of the Audit Opinion Formulation Process 177 Auditing Related-Party Transactions 249
Using a Specialist/Expert to Assist with Obtaining
Audit Opinion Formulation Process: Accounting Audit Evidence 251
Cycles 179
Documenting Audit Evidence 253
Audit Opinion Formulation Process: Financial Documenting Risk Assessment Procedures 253
Statement Assertions 180 Documenting Tests of Controls and Substantive
Existence or Occurrence Assertion 181 Procedures 254
Completeness Assertion 181 Documenting Significant Findings and Their Resolution 255
Rights and Obligations Assertion 182 Characteristics of Quality Audit Documentation 255
Valuation or Allocation Assertion 183 Audit Programs 257
Presentation and Disclosure Assertion 184 Applying Decision-Making Frameworks 259
Audit Opinion Formulation Process: Audit Evidence Significant Terms 260
and Audit Procedures 184
Evidence Example: Substantive Audit Procedures to Obtain Prompt for Critical Thinking 262
Evidence About Management’s Valuation Assertion 185 Review Questions and Short Cases 262
Audit Opinion Formulation Process: Audit Fraud Focus: Contemporary and Historical Cases 268
Documentation 186
Application Activities 272
Five Phases of the Audit Opinion Formulation
Academic Research Cases 275
Process 187
Phase I—Making Client Acceptance and Continuance Data Analytics Using ACL 276
Decisions 187
Phase II—Performing Risk Assessment 189
Phase III—Obtaining Evidence About Internal Control 194
7
Phase IV—Obtaining Substantive Evidence About Accounts,
Disclosures, and Assertions 202 Planning the Audit: Identifying,
Phase V—Completing the Audit and Making Reporting
Decisions 205
Assessing, and Responding
Applying Decision-Making Frameworks 207
to the Risk of Material
Significant Terms 208
Misstatement 278
Prompt for Critical Thinking 209 Materiality 280
Review Questions and Short Cases 210 Materiality Levels 281
Planning Materiality 282
Fraud Focus: Contemporary and Historical Cases 217
Application Activities 219 Identifying and Assessing the Risk of Material
Misstatement 286
Academic Research Cases 221 Client Business Risks 286
The Audit Risk Model 291
Objectives of Sampling and Risks Associated with Performing Planning Analytical Procedures 425
Sampling 343 Responding to Identified Risks of Material
Nonsampling and Sampling Risks 343 Misstatement 428
Nonstatistical and Statistical Sampling 346 Obtaining Evidence About Internal Control
Attributes Sampling for Tests of Controls 349 Operating Effectiveness in the Revenue Cycle 430
Steps in Attributes Sampling 349 Selecting Controls to Test and Performing Tests
of Controls 432
Basic Steps in Sampling Account Balances and Considering the Results of Tests of Controls 434
Assertions: A Nonstatisical Sampling Application 362
Basic Steps in Sampling Account Balances and Assertions 362 Obtaining Substantive Evidence About Accounts,
Nonstatistical Sampling for Substantive Tests of Account Disclosures, and Assertions in the Revenue
Balances and Assertions 365 Cycle 435
Revenue and Accounts Receivable: Performing Substantive
Statistical Sampling for Substantive Tests of Account Analytical Procedures 437
Balances and Assertions: Monetary Unit Sampling Revenue: Substantive Tests of Details 438
(MUS) 367 Accounts Receivable: Substantive Procedures 439
Summary of MUS Strengths and Weaknesses 367 Accounts Receivable: Substantive Tests
Designing and Selecting a MUS Sample 368 of Details—Confirmations 439
Evaluating a MUS Sample 372 Accounts Receivable: Substantive Procedures for the
Using Data Analytics Tools to Obtain and Evaluate Allowance Account 447
Accounts Receivable: Other Substantive Procedures 448
Evidence 377
Performing Substantive Fraud-Related Procedures 449
Defining Data Analytics and Associated Terms 377
Documenting Substantive Procedures 452
Using Data Analytics Tools in the Audit 381
Business Intelligence Platforms 383 Applying Decision-Making Frameworks 454
Applying Decision-Making Frameworks 385 Significant Terms 454
Significant Terms 386 Prompt for Critical Thinking 455
Prompt for Critical Thinking 390
Review Questions and Short Cases 457
Review Questions and Short Cases 391
Fraud Focus: Contemporary and Historical Cases 470
Application Activities 398
Application Activities 480
Data Analytics: Spreadsheet Modelling
and Database Querying 399 Data Analytics Using Excel: A Case in the Context of
Academic Research Cases 399 the Pharmaceutical Industry 485
Data Analytics Using ACL 487
10
Significant Accounts, Disclosures, and Relevant
Assertions 402 Auditing Cash, Marketable
Processing Revenue Transactions 404
An Overview of the Audit Opinion Formulation Process in the
Securities, and Complex
Revenue Cycle 406 Financial Instruments 490
Identifying Inherent Risks 407
Inherent Risks: Revenue 407 Significant Accounts, Disclosures, and Relevant
Inherent Risks: Accounts Receivable 410 Assertions 493
Common Cash Accounts: Checking, Cash Management, Fraud Focus: Contemporary and Historical Cases 556
and Petty Cash Accounts 493
Relevant Financial Statement Assertions 494
Application Activities 563
An Overview of the Audit Opinion Formulation Process Data Analytics: Spreadsheet Modelling
for Cash Accounts 497 and Database Querying 567
Identifying Inherent Risks 498
Identifying Fraud Risks 499
11
Identifying Control Risks 501
Typical Controls Over Cash 502
Auditing Inventory, Goods
Implications of Ineffective Controls 505 and Services, and Accounts
Controls for Petty Cash 507 Payable: The Acquisition
Controls for Cash Management Techniques 507
Documenting Controls 507
and Payment Cycle 568
Performing Planning Analytical Procedures 510
Significant Accounts, Disclosures, and Relevant
Responding to Identified Risks of Material Assertions 571
Misstatement 512 Processing Transactions in the Acquisition and Payment
Obtaining Evidence about Internal Control Operating Cycle 572
Assertions Relevant to Inventory 573
Effectiveness for Cash 514
Assertions Relevant to Accounts Payable 574
Selecting Controls to Test and Performing Tests
of Controls 514 An Overview of the Audit Opinion Formulation Process in the
Acquisition and Payment Cycle 575
Considering the Results of Tests of Controls 515
Obtaining Substantive Evidence about Cash Identifying Inherent Risks 575
Accounts, Disclosures, and Assertions 516 Identifying Fraud Risks 577
Cash Accounts: Performing Substantive Analytical Identifying Control Risks 578
Procedures 518
Overview of Internal Controls in the Acquisition
Cash Accounts: Performing Substantive Tests of Details 518 and Payment Cycle 579
Performing Substantive Fraud-Related Procedures for Cash Documenting Controls 586
Accounts 524
Documenting Substantive Procedures 525 Performing Planning Analytical Procedures 588
Auditing Marketable Securities 526 Responding to Identified Risks of Material
Significant Accounts, Disclosures, and Relevant Misstatement 592
Assertions 526
Obtaining Evidence About Internal Control
An Overview of the Audit Opinion Formulation Process
for Marketable Securities 528
Operating Effectiveness in the Acquisition
Identifying Inherent, Fraud, and Control Risks Relevant and Payment Cycle 594
to Marketable Securities 528 Selecting Controls to Test and Performing Tests
Performing Planning Analytical Procedures for Marketable of Controls 594
Securities 531 Considering the Results of Tests of Controls 595
Responding to Identified Risks of Material Obtaining Substantive Evidence About Accounts,
Misstatement 531 Disclosures, and Assertions in the Acquisition
Obtaining Evidence about Internal Control Operating
and Payment Cycle 598
Effectiveness for Marketable Securities 532
Substantive Tests of Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold 598
Obtaining Substantive Evidence about Marketable
Substantive Tests of Accounts Payable and Related Expense
Securities 532
Accounts 611
Auditing Complex Financial Instruments 536 Documenting Substantive Procedures 616
Overview of Complex Financial Instruments 536
Applying Decision-Making Frameworks 618
Audit Considerations for Complex Financial
Instruments 536 Significant Terms 619
Applying Decision-Making Frameworks 540 Prompt for Critical Thinking 620
Significant Terms 541 Review Questions and Short Cases 621
Prompts for Critical Thinking 542 Fraud Focus: Contemporary and Historical Cases 630
Review Questions and Short Cases 545 Application Activities 634
Data Analytics Using Excel: A Case in the Context Applying Decision-Making Frameworks 681
of the Pharmaceutical Industry 637 Significant Terms 682
Academic Research Cases 640 Prompt for Critical Thinking 683
ACL 640 Review Questions and Short Cases 684
Fraud Focus: Contemporary and Historical Cases 690
12
Academic Research Cases 699
Auditing Long-Lived
Assets and Merger and
Acquisition Activity 642
Auditing Merger and Acquisition Activities 674 Long-Term Liabilities Requiring Management
Valuing the Assets and Liabilities of an Acquisition 675 Estimates 719
Audit Considerations for Valuing Identifiable Assets Warranty Reserves 719
and Liabilities 676 Pension Obligations and Other Postemployment Benefits 721
Audit Considerations for Restructuring Charges Related
to an Acquisition 678
Applying Decision-Making Frameworks 723
Audit Considerations for Valuing Goodwill 679 Significant Terms 724
Prompt for Critical Thinking 724 Unqualified Audit Reports: U.S. Public Companies 799
Unmodified Audit Reports: U.S. Nonpublic Companies 801
Review Questions and Short Cases 725
Unmodified Audit Reports: Non-U.S. Companies 802
Fraud Focus: Contemporary and Historical Cases 729
Unqualified/Unmodified Audit Opinions with Report
Application Activities 730 Modifications 804
Data Analytics Using Excel: A Case in the Emphasis-of-Matter 804
Context of the Pharmaceutical Industry 731 Information about Certain Audit Participants 805
Reference to Other Auditors 806
Academic Research Case 733 Inconsistent Application of GAAP 808
Justified Departure from GAAP 809
14
Substantial Doubt about the Client Being a Going
Completing a Quality Concern 810
Client Correction of a Material Misstatement in Previously
Audit 734 Issued Financial Statements 814
Qualified Opinions, Adverse Opinions, and Disclaimers
Obtain Remaining Audit Evidence 737
of Opinion 816
Detected Misstatements 737
Qualified Opinions 816
Loss Contingencies 742
Adverse Opinions 820
Adequacy of Disclosures 747
Disclaimers of Opinion 821
Noncompliance with Laws and Regulations 752
Review Analytical Procedures 755 Critical Audit Matters and Key Audit Matters 824
The Going-Concern Assumption 757 Key Audit Matters (KAMs) 824
Subsequent Events 763 Critical Audit Matters (CAMs) 826
KAMs or CAMs? 829
Management Representation Letter versus
a Management Letter 767 Audit Reports on Internal Control Over Financial
Management Representation Letter 767 Reporting for U.S. Public Companies 830
Management Letter 769 Omitted Audit Procedures 834
Engagement Quality Review 771 Applying Decision-Making Frameworks 836
Audit Committee Communications 773 Significant Terms 837
Significant Terms 777 Prompt for Critical Thinking 838
Prompt for Critical Thinking 778 Review Questions and Short Cases 840
Review Questions and Short Cases 780 Fraud Focus: Contemporary and Historical Cases 847
Fraud Focus: Contemporary and Historical Cases 785 Application Activities 850
Application Activities 789 Academic Research Cases 851
Using ACL to Perform Benford Analysis 792
Academic Research Cases 793
ACL APPENDIX 853
15
REFERENCES 869
Audit Reports for Financial
CASE INDEX 871
Statement Audits 794
INDEX 873
Audit Reporting Principles 796 “WHY IT MATTERS” FEATURE CONTENT 886
Unqualified/Unmodified Audit Reports on Financial AUDITING STANDARDS 889
Statements 798 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 895
xiii
key terms and explain data analytics tools in an expanded Chapter 8, with
an entirely new section, “Using Data Analytics Tools to Obtain and Evaluate
Evidence.” We also include end-of-chapter problems to reinforce opportuni-
ties to employ data analytics tools within Chapter 8 and the following cycle
chapters (e.g., data analytics in the revenue cycle in Chapter 9).
Auditing Standards Exhibit–PCAOB, AICPA, and IAASB–appears inside the
front cover of this textbook. This exhibit allows for easy access to relevant
standards, and provides a platform for relative comparisons across each of the
standards-setting bodies. End-of-chapter problems require students to review
and apply the material in the Auditing Standards Exhibit. These problems
provide students with practice completing task-based simulations similar to
what they will see on the CPA exam; we highlight these problems with an
identifying icon.
Three New Learning Engagement Features. Students today demand more than
case facts and standard lectures. They require opportunities to engage with the
instructor and classmates on important topics facing the profession.
• “Why It Matters” feature. This feature helps students see beyond the
factual insights provided in the chapters. Elements include for example,
extensions based on in-the-news examples that illustrate fundamen-
tal features and applications of text facts, professional standards in
foreign jurisdictions, and interesting points that may be tangential to
the text facts, but that should facilitate students’ deep engagement
with the chapter. Certain of these features are noted as relating to an
International Focus.
• “Prompt for Critical Thinking—It’s Your Turn!” feature. This feature
encourages students to engage in critical thinking as they acquire knowl-
edge relevant to each chapter. This feature is intentionally creative in
form and substance, and varies widely in structure based upon the learn-
ing objective to which it is related. As an example of one such prompt,
students are asked to consider auditors’ responsibilities with respect to
internal controls around the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
• “What Do You Think?—For Classroom Discussion” feature. This fea-
ture provides an avenue by which instructors can facilitate preparation
for class, cognitive engagement, and critical thinking through discus-
sions with other students. Like the Prompt for Critical Thinking fea-
ture, What Do You Think? is creative in form and substance and varies
in unexpected ways to spark students’ interest in engagement with the
chapter topic. This feature is an ideal way for instructors to facilitate an
interesting class discussion using a flipped-classroom approach (either
involving the entire class or within small teams).
Below we provide examples of each of these three new learning engagement
features that appear in Chapter 14 (“Completing a Quality Audit”) with
respect to the learning objective “Obtaining Remaining Audit Evidence on
Noncompliance with Laws and Regulations.”
• The Why It Matters feature articulates the motivation for and provisions
of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
• The Prompt for Critical Thinking feature extends this discussion by
prompting students to think about corruption, how to measure it, and
its variation across different jurisdictions.
• The What Do You Think? feature encourages students to consider the
applicability of the FCPA in today’s business and auditing environment.
This feature highlights an important law that many companies have purpose of obtaining or retaining business. This provision is
failed to comply with. commonly called the anti-bribery provision of the FCPA.
• Companies that have securities listed on U.S. markets must
The FCPA was written to respond to SEC investigations in the 1970s make and keep financial records that accurately and fairly
revealing that over 400 companies had made questionable or ille- reflect the transactions of the company and must design
gal payments of over $300 million to foreign officials, politicians, and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting
and political parties. The payments involved bribery of foreign offi- controls.
cials to facilitate business operations in their respective foreign • Certain payments to foreign officials are acceptable. These
countries. The main provisions of the FCPA include: include grease payments, which are payments made to an
official to expedite the performance of the duties that the
• No U.S. person or company that has securities listed on U.S. official would already be bound to perform.
markets may make a payment to a foreign official for the
Before reading this text, had you heard of the Transparency Inter- from most corrupt to least corrupt just from what you know, and
national corruption perception index? Think critically about what (2) guess what their ranking is on a scale from 02100 on the cor-
you know about the political and economic structure of the fol- ruption perception index from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very
lowing countries. In the spaces below, (1) rank the six countries clean):
Country (in alphabetical Rank (1 5 most to 6 5 least corrupt among this list) Estimated corruption perception
order) index (0 2 100)
Belgium
Brazil
New Zealand
Somalia
South Korea
United States of America
After ranking the countries, visit Transparency International and compare your answers and estimates against theirs:
https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2016#table
What are your reactions to what you have learned? What rankings surprised you? How accurate were your rankings?
The FCPA of 1977 was enacted a LONG time ago! list are well-known? Focus on one of the enforcement actions
1. Do you think it is still relevant today? Why or why not? (perhaps at the discretion of your instructor) and explain how the
2. Review the following SEC website: company violated the FCPA.
Updates to “Focus on Fraud” Feature. The authors continue their use of this
learning engagement feature, which provides compelling examples of recent
frauds, and the role of the auditor in preventing, detecting, or (sometimes) not
detecting those frauds. Below we provide an example of this learning feature
that appears in Chapter 14 (“Completing a Quality Audit”) with respect to the
learning objective “Obtaining Remaining Audit Evidence on Noncompliance
with Laws and Regulations.”
This feature describes a historically important case involving noncom- • The recording of false journal entries by Triton Indonesia’s
pliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) of 1977. Commercial Manager and Controller were made to cover
up the improper payments.
Triton Energy engages in the exploration and production of crude
oil and natural gas in many areas around the world. Triton has tra- These improper payments and false journal entries were
ditionally operated in relatively high-risk, politically unstable areas facilitated because Triton’s CEO, Bill Lee, was an aggressive top
where larger and better-known producers do not operate. Top manager who provided weak tone at the top in terms of his failure
Triton Indonesia officials (President, CFO, Commercial Manager, to encourage compliance with applicable laws and regulations,
and Controller) were investigated by the SEC for violations of the failure to discourage improper payments, and failure to imple-
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. These violations included: ment internal controls to deter improper payments. Triton was
ultimately fined $300,000 related to the scandal.
• Improper payments were made to a middleman who used
For further details, see the SEC’s Securities Exchange Act of 1934
the funds to reduce Triton Indonesia’s tax liability.
Release No. 38343 and Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Release
• Improper payments were made to a middleman who used No. 889, February 27, 1997.
the funds to ensure a favorable governmental audit.
• Improper payments were made to a middleman who used
the funds to obtain corporate tax refunds from government
officials.
• To help students prepare for the CPA exam, MindTap for Auditing
includes two pre- and post-tests using author-selected multiple-choice
questions from Becker Professional Education, all tailored to this edi-
tion’s critical learning objectives.
Why It Matters The Incentive for Managers to Commit Fraud in the Revenue Cycle:
The Role of Stock Analysts and Consensus Earnings Calculations
This feature provides insight into the role that stock analyst following To understand this concept better, see the analysts’ forecast report
and consensus analyst earnings per share calculations play in affect- for Ford Motor Company as of June 2017, which we reproduce
ing managements’ incentives to commit fraud. below.
Stock analysts follow companies and issue earnings per share and
revenue forecasts they anticipate for the companies they follow.
This report shows that 16 analysts together, that is, by consensus make predictions about both quarterly and annual earnings per
predict Q1 2017 earnings per share of $0.35 per share, and that the share. Managers do not want to “disappoint” the market by having
actual results were better than that at $0.39 per share. It also shows their earnings results come in “under forecast,” which creates the
that the annual earnings per share for 2016 was $1.76; analysts incentive for earnings manipulation.
This report shows that 15 analysts together, that is, by consen- resist because they do not want to report a negative earnings
sus predict Q1 2017 revenues at $34.59 billion, while the actual surprise.
revenue that Ford reported exceeded that estimate, coming in at
$36.48 billion. Managers do not want to “disappoint” the market
by having their revenue results come in “under forecast,” which What is a negative earnings surprise or a negative revenue
creates the incentive for fraudulently overstated revenue amounts. surprise?
It is a negative departure from the consensus analyst earnings
forecast or the revenue forecast, for example, lower actual earn-
What does the term “analyst consensus forecast” mean?
ings per share amount compared to the consensus or lower rev-
It means the average earnings per share or revenue based on all enue compared to the consensus expectation.
the analysts that are following the company. If a company is at or
For further details, see
near its consensus forecast and the auditor proposes a material,
income decreasing audit adjustment, client management may https://markets.ft.com/data/equities/tearsheet/forecasts?s=F:NYQ
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