Pre- and Post-Tax Audit Differences of The Firm Value

This study addresses and examines differences in firm value after tax audits by the Korean Internal Revenue Service. Tax audits can potentially depreciate a firm’s value due to the mass cash outflow that often results from the additional tax charges involved. However, tax audits that reveal negative aspects of a business, such as excessive entertainment expenses, fraudulent accounting, or inappropriate business practices, may have positive effects on a firm’s value, as the monitoring involved can improve accounting transparency and reduce agency costs. This study shows that there is typically an increase in a firm’s value in the year after a tax audit has been conducted, in comparison with the previous year. This result suggests that firm value can increase after a tax audit is conducted, despite the possible value depreciation resulting from a mass cash outflow.