报告题目：  When Banks Unite, Auditors Profit: The Hidden Costs of Financial Consolidation

时间：2025年10月30日15:30

地点：主楼317

报告人：李哲副教授

报告人简介：

李哲，中央财经大学会计学院副教授、博士生导师，财务处副处长。中财龙马学者（青年学者），财政部高层次人才中青年学术班。兼任北京市习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心特约研究员、中国会计学会政府与非营利组织专委会委员（兼智库专家）、中财政府会计研究中心主任。

获北京市青年教师基本功比赛一等奖、最佳教案奖、最佳教学展示奖、最佳教学反思奖、中财特殊贡献奖。主持国自然基金（面上、青年）、教育部人文基金。获高等学校科学研究优秀成果奖（人文社科）青年科学奖。论文发表在《经济研究》《管理世界》《The Accounting Review》《Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis》《Review of Finance》等。

报告内容简介：

When evaluating the economic spillover effects of bank consolidation, stakeholders require transparency regarding how these mergers affect corporate borrowers beyond traditional lending relationships. This study examines the impact of bank mergers on the audit fees of borrowing firms. Utilizing a comprehensive dataset of U.S.firms spanning from 2000 to 2016, we find that bank mergers result in a significant increase in audit fees for affected borrowing firms compared to those whose banks remained independent. This effect, however, varies substantially depending on firm and auditor characteristics. Specifically, the increase in audit fees is more pronounced for firms characterized by a higher reliance on soft information, lower capital intensity, greater financial constraints, and poorer information environments. Moreover, this effect is amplified when auditors exhibit greater industry specialization but attenuated for economically important auditor clients. Employing path analysis, we further identify both direct and indirect mechanisms underlying these relationships, highlighting increased litigation risk and tighter financial covenants as critical mediating channels. Overall, our findings offer valuable insights regarding the broader economic implications of banking consolidation and the interconnectedness of external monitoring mechanisms within corporate governance structures.

（承办：会计系、科研与学术交流中心）