Final answer:
All provisions listed are part of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act: increased financial disclosures, enhanced penalties for corporate fraud, and the establishment of the PCAOB, all designed to protect investors and increase confidence in public corporate financial information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question about the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is 4) All of the above. This Act was enacted in response to major accounting scandals, with the objective of preventing corporate fraud by improving the accuracy and reliability of disclosures provided by public corporations. The provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act include increased financial disclosures, enhanced penalties for corporate fraud, and the establishment of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). These measures were implemented to regain public trust in the financial reporting of companies and to provide better protection for investors.
Increased financial disclosures require companies to provide more detailed and timely information regarding their financial practices. Enhanced penalties for corporate fraud seek to deter individuals and companies from engaging in deceitful practices by imposing stricter punishments. The establishment of the PCAOB provides an external body responsible for overseeing the audits of public companies to ensure the accuracy and fairness of their financial statements.