The Effect of Nature of Critical Audit Matters and Outcome Indication on Investors’ Decisions

ABSTRACT Two aspects of critical audit matter (CAM) disclosure are (1) whether it relates to complexity in audit judgments (complex CAM) or uncertainty in underlying management estimates (uncertain CAM) and (2) whether an indication of the outcome of audit procedures performed to address the CAM is included in the disclosure. We use two controlled experiments to examine the joint effects of CAM nature and the presence of a CAM outcome indication on investors’ judgments of investment attractiveness. In the first (second) experiment, we used a stronger (weaker) outcome indication, which provides stronger (weaker) conclusions about the audit procedures performed to address the CAM. We find that the provision of a stronger (weaker) outcome indication increases investment attractiveness judgments to a greater (an equal) extent for an uncertain CAM than for a complex CAM. Data Availability: Please contact the authors.