Companies go through a lot of trouble to make sure their financial statements are correct. Firms employ teams of accountants, who diligently keep records and make sure the reporting accurately reflects the company's financials. Beyond this, the company will engage the services of an outside auditor to double check the numbers and add their endorsement that everything looks right.
Even with all this, there's a chance - perhaps very small, but still - that the numbers are wrong in some substantial way. This lingering risk is known as the "audit risk." Basically, the term refers to the possibility that the company's auditor is wrong and at some point down the line, the firm will be forced to restate its financial statements to correct the error.
Audit risk comes in three main varieties: inherent risk, control risk and detection risk.
Inherent risk is basically the risks that arise from the type of business the company conducts. A complicated business or one involving a large number of cash transactions make it harder to track the finances accurately, raising the difficulty to audit the company effectively.
Control risk relates to the strength of the company's internal accounting structure. If it is weak, it makes it more likely that mistakes exist, which might not get caught by the auditor.
Detection risk relates to the auditor's procedures. If these are weak, the auditor might not be able to catch a mistake. (And that is bad.)
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Finance: What is a Consolidated Balance ...3 Views
Finance a la shmoop what is a consolidated balance sheet? okay people
this is a tale of two balance sheets it was the best of times right here and all [Lemonade stand balance sheet appears]
that cash no debt,, yeah and it was the worst of times and pretty much the
opposite and then one magical mergy day the two companies possessing these
two divergent balance sheets decided to you know merge it was a lovely ceremony [Bride and groom holding hands]
the bride wore white the groom stepped on the glass so then the balance sheets
were consolidated that is they were merged or combined or fully brought
together liabilities plus liabilities assets plus assets so the few dollars in
cash here in the worst of times balance sheet
well that was tacked on to the cash in the best of times balance sheet and the
same happened with long term liabilities and short and eventually after the
wedding night was you know consummated these two balance sheets had merged and [Man and girl standing by their lemonade stands]
consolidated and looked like this and that's what happens when companies merge
everything including their balance sheets consolidate let's hope they
generate lots of tiny cash flows and credits in the future....Mazel Tov
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