Judson Caskey

Biography

Associate Professor of Accounting Judson Caskey focuses on both empirical and modeling research in financial accounting, specifically on the role of accounting disclosures within the context of informed decision making. His work includes analyzing the content of accounting disclosures and how that content is processed. His empirical research examines the information conveyed by financial reports and how investors use it.

He began his academic career at UCLA Anderson, spent three years at the University of Texas’ McCombs School of Business, and then returned to Anderson. What he likes most about UCLA is that “the people are very smart, very curious and very willing to engage in the exchange of ideas, which provides support for my own work and as well as an ability to support others, whether it be faculty or students. That type of cooperation is an inherent part of the UCLA Anderson culture.”

While Caskey considers himself primarily a researcher, he enjoys both research and teaching, and the novelty that they provide. “Novelty in research stems from working on different projects, while novelty in teaching stems from working with different students, different courses, and developments in accounting. The interaction with students is intrinsically rewarding and allows me to contribute to society by helping students develop business skills.”

His current projects range from showing the correlation between meeting earnings targets and a company’s potential to compromise on employee safety to how individual firms’ accounting policies should not affect their cost of capital. “The latter is important because that implies companies can focus their accounting on issues with investors and managers, such as contracting,” he explains.

When not on campus, Caskey can be found hiking, camping, cycling or reading novels.

Courses

First-year financial accounting for FEMBA