The Effects of Tax Planning, Financial Distress, and Earnings Management on Firm Value with Audit Quality as a Moderating Variable: A Study of Agricultural Subsector Companies Listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange During 2019–2024

Abstract

This study examines tax planning, financial distress, and earnings management in relation to firm value, with audit quality as a moderator. A balanced panel of 18 Indonesian listed agricultural firms provides 108 firm-year observations during 2019–2024. Fixed-effects estimates report positive predictor coefficients and negative audit interactions for tax planning and the distress proxy. The earnings-management interaction is not significant. Higher Altman Z-scores indicate better financial health. However, coefficient-test and model-fit statistics are inconsistent; inference remains provisional until checked against the original estimation records. The results do not establish causal effects.