Purpose: The aim of this academic inquiry is to investigate the relationship between the characteristics of audit committees (including independence, competence, chair independence, and chair competence) and the financial performance of firms. Design/methodology/approach: The current study is a conceptual paper that discusses the relevant literature on the characteristics of audit committees (AC) and provides a conceptual framework for understanding the link between AC features with firm financial performance. Findings: This research suggests a conceptual framework that can be applied to process FP issues of non-financial Saudi listed firms and how corporate governance mechanics such as AC characteristics facilitate firm financial performance. Originality/value: The uniqueness and significance of this research are derived from the scarcity of investigations that have scrutinized the correlation between the attributes of the AC and the financial performance of corporations listed in the Saudi market, subsequent to the application of the new governance code in 2018 and extending to the present day.
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