The Audit Committee’s role in tax aggressiveness and market value of Brazilian public companies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18326805Keywords:
audit committee, corporate governance, effective tax rate, tax aggressivenessAbstract
This study investigates the influence of the Audit Committee on tax aggressiveness and the market value of Brazilian publicly traded companies, considering the strategic role of this governance mechanism in tax compliance and the quality of financial reporting. The research adopts a quantitative approach, using a sample of 243 firms listed on B3 between 2014 and 2023, based on data from the Reference Forms and the Economatica platform. Econometric models were estimated to assess the effects of the Audit Committee characteristics — gender diversity, size, independence, expertise, and remuneration — on the effective tax rate (ETR) and Tobin’s q. The results indicate that independence, expertise, and diversity have significant impacts on market value, whereas committee independence marginally reduces ETR, suggesting the adoption of more conservative tax practices. However, gender diversity did not prove to be a determining factor in the effective tax burden. The findings suggest that more qualified and independent committees enhance transparency, mitigate tax risks, and contribute to value creation, reinforcing the importance of robust governance structures for corporate sustainability and competitiveness.
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