Blacconiere and DeFond (1997) investigate the audit opinions of 24 US
publicly-traded S and Ls institutions that subsequently failed during 1982-1989. The
find that S and Ls that are perceived as being less financially viable, with greater
declines in stock prices prior to the audit opinion date and lower net interest yield, are
more likely to be assigned a going-concern opinion. Further, examination of the five
S and Ls with non-going concern reports reveals that these institutions are in better
financial condition and have smaller stock price declines than the average of the ones
receiving going-concern opinions. Finally, they find that going-concern reports in the
year prior to the failure of an S and L do not prevent audit litigation, as well as that the
propensity to be sued is relatively positively to the size of the failed S and L.