Sarbanes–Oxley Act Archives - CFO

PCAOB Auditor Pressure Spurs Sarbox Controls Tightening

Revenue Recognition

PCAOB Auditor Pressure Spurs Sarbox Controls Tightening

Increasing Public Company Accounting Oversight Board auditor requirements prod companies to boost Sarbanes-Oxley compliance activities, a survey finds.

By David Katz | June 14, 2017

Senators Urge Making PCAOB Hearings Public

Risk & Compliance

Senators Urge Making PCAOB Hearings Public

Sens. Jack Reed and Chuck Grassley say the secrecy of board disciplinary proceedings is keeping critical information from investors.

By Matthew Heller | March 24, 2017

PCAOB Chair Goes on the Defensive

PCAOB Chair Goes on the Defensive

The Republican electoral wins pose an added threat to the tenure of PCAOB Chair James Doty.

By David Katz | November 30, 2016

S&P 500 Firms Beefing Up Audit Disclosures

Financial Reporting

S&P 500 Firms Beefing Up Audit Disclosures

A survey finds disclosure of information on key areas of external auditor oversight has more than doubled in the past two years.

By Matthew Heller | November 2, 2016

Voluntary Audit Disclosures Continue to Grow

Financial Reporting

Voluntary Audit Disclosures Continue to Grow

An EY report says more companies are disclosing how they oversee and appoint external auditors and the reasons for changes in fees.

By Matthew Heller | September 28, 2016

Court Clarifies CFO Liability for False Filings

Risk & Compliance

Court Clarifies CFO Liability for False Filings

An appeals court "ups the ante" for finance chiefs who certify that SEC filings include no material misstatements or omissions.

By Matthew Heller | September 12, 2016

Staggered Boards Affect Audit Committee Quality

Risk & Compliance

Staggered Boards Affect Audit Committee Quality

A new study finds audit committees at companies that hold staggered board elections are not responsive to low shareholder approval.

By Matthew Heller | June 8, 2016

More Issuers Revealing Pre-IPO Weaknesses

More Issuers Revealing Pre-IPO Weaknesses

The portion of IPOs reporting material weaknesses in internal controls rose from 23% in 2011 to 27% in 2014, with 31% projected for 2015, PwC finds.

By David Katz | October 26, 2015

Audit Fees for Public Companies Up 3.4%

Growth Companies

Audit Fees for Public Companies Up 3.4%

SEC filers paid external auditors an average of $1.5 million in 2014, with the median fee coming in at $402,812.

By Matthew Heller | October 9, 2015

Big Firms Expanding Voluntary Audit Disclosures

Big Firms Expanding Voluntary Audit Disclosures

More companies are disclosing how they oversee external auditors and the audit committee's involvement in the auditor selection process.

By Matthew Heller | September 9, 2015

SOX Compliance Getting More Costly

SOX Compliance Getting More Costly

External auditors are placing more focus on evaluating internal controls over financial reporting, leading to higher fees for companies.

By Matthew Heller | May 20, 2015

A Great Run

James Freeman looks back on his long career as finance chief of Dillard’s. An Interview with James I. Freeman, SVP & CFO, Dillard’s.

By Edward Teach | February 26, 2015

SEC Claws Back $500G from Two Silicon Valley CFOs

Revenue Recognition

SEC Claws Back $500G from Two Silicon Valley CFOs

Under the “clawback” provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, executives can return to the company and its shareholders money earned during a fraud.

By David Katz | February 10, 2015

Have Non-GAAP Metrics Come of Age?

Growth Companies

Have Non-GAAP Metrics Come of Age?

Previously frowned upon, the use of non-GAAP metrics is booming among IPOs.

By David Katz | November 3, 2014

Audit Fees for Public Companies Up 4.5%

Audit Fees for Public Companies Up 4.5%

The impact of PCAOB inspections contributed to the rising cost of public-company audits, finds an FEI study.

By Matthew Heller | October 6, 2014