Executive age, executive gender and financial statement comparability

Abstract

This study investigates the association between chief executive officer (CEO) age and gender and the financial statement comparability of their firm. Our findings indicate that CEO age and gender are positively associated with comparability. We extend the literature by establishing executive age and gender as determinants of comparability. The results are independent of a battery of sensitivity tests, including applying alternative comparability measures, industry dominance of young CEOs, self-selection bias, and corporate governance measures. Our analysis further suggests that the age and gender of other executives, particularly chief financial officers (CFOs) and the top management team (TMT), impact comparability similarly to those of the CEO.