To exempt or not to exempt non-accelerated filers from compliance with the auditor attestation requirement of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act

We examine the stock market reaction to the SEC announcement to permanently exempt non-accelerated filers from compliance with Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act. Mandatory compliance with auditor attestation under Section 404(b) is highly controversial. Using a sample of non-accelerated issuers for 2006–2011, we find a negative market reaction to the November 4, 2009 exemption announcement. However, most of the negative returns accrue to …