Board characteristics and audit pricing post-Cadbury: a research note

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of board and audit committee characteristics on the audit fee paid by large UK companies in the post-Cadbury period. Our results suggest that audit fees remain predominantly influenced by the size, complexity and risk of the audit client. Additionally, we find that companies operating in regulated industries pay lower audit fees. Despite the increased emphasis on internal governance mechanisms, we find no evidence that board and audit committee characteristics influence auditors' pricing decisions. The absence of a relationship suggests that any fee reductions expected due to improved board monitoring may be counterbalanced by the increased audit effort and assurances desired by non-executive directors.