Peregrine Systems Fraud Essay example -- Business Case Studies Account

Peregrine System's Accounting Fraud Wall Street's demand for high growth motivated Peregrine Systems' executives, to fraudulently inflate revenues and stock prices. According to the SEC, "Peregrine filed materially incorrect financial statements with the commission for 11 consecutive quarters." Steven Spitzer, a member of Peregrine's sales team admitted to meeting regularly with senior management near the end of the quarter to determine how much revenue was needed to exceed Wall Street's expectations. The primary fraud committed by Peregrine was done by inflating revenue by booking revenue when sales never occurred. By recognizing revenue from sales that never occurred, the accounts receivable balance and net income were fraudulently overstated; the accounts receivable would never be collected, because the merchandise was never sold. To cover up their high, outstanding, accounts receivable balance as a result of booking sales that did not occur, Peregrine fraudulently engaged in financial agreements with banks. Evidently, Peregrine Systems increased its revenues by pressuring distributors and resellers to build up their inventories (known as "parking" their inventory). Through secret side or oral agreements Peregrine distributors and resellers were not obligated to pay Peregrine for their software inventories. This conduct obviously became a problem. If they could not sell Peregrine's software, they would receive their money back. According to GAAP, revenue recognition on the sale of software requires evidence that an arrangement must exist, delivery must have occurred, vendor's fees must be fixed or determinable, and collectibility must be probable before recognizing revenue. Peregrine falsely recorded this tra... ... tempted to falsely inflate earnings is to take away their personal gains, if the company's stocks go up. I believe that when upper level management has too much incentive based on personal financial gain, which is directly based on the performance of the company; it compromises their judgments. I think that upper level management should not be allowed to receive stock options or to even own stock in the company as the financial statements would provide a neutral, bias-free report. Management would have no reason to "cook the books." I also feel that any management who still decides to falsify documents needs to be held more accountable for their actions and receive tougher punishments. I think that these strict guidelines would help the people in the United States and people all over the world feel more confident in investing their money into the stock market.