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Auditor size, tenure, and bank loan pricing

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  • Jeong-Bon Kim
  • Byron Song
  • Judy Tsui

Abstract

Using a large sample of U.S. bank loan data from 1996 to 2008, we investigate the relation between two auditor characteristics, namely, auditor size and tenure, and loan interest rates. Our results show the following: First, we find that the loan interest rate is significantly lower for borrowers with prestigious Big 4 auditors than for borrowers with non-Big 4 auditors. Second, we find that auditor tenure is negatively associated with the loan interest rate, suggesting that a long client–auditor relationship lowers the loan borrowing cost. Third, we find that the negative association between auditor size and loan rate is more pronounced for transaction-based term loans than for relationship-based revolving loans. Fourth, our sub-period tests show that our results are driven by the post-Sarbanes–Oxley Act period. Our study provides direct evidence that auditor size and tenure are incremental credit risk-reducing factors in the bank loan market. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Jeong-Bon Kim & Byron Song & Judy Tsui, 2013. "Auditor size, tenure, and bank loan pricing," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 75-99, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:rqfnac:v:40:y:2013:i:1:p:75-99
    DOI: 10.1007/s11156-011-0270-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Deqiu Chen & Xuejiao Liu & Cong Wang, 2016. "Social Trust and Bank Loan Financing: Evidence from China," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 52(3), pages 374-403, September.
    2. Schneider, Arnold, 2018. "Studies on the impact of accounting information and assurance on commercial lending judgments," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 63-74.
    3. Sharad Asthana, 2017. "Diversification by the audit offices in the US and its impact on audit quality," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 1003-1030, May.
    4. Fei Hou & Fangnan Liao & Jie Liu & Hao Xiong, 2019. "Signing Auditors’ Foreign Experience and Debt Financing Costs: Evidence for Sustainability of Chinese Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-19, November.
    5. Godlewski, Christophe J. & Turk-Ariss, Rima & Weill, Laurent, 2016. "Do the type of sukuk and choice of shari’a scholar matter?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 132(S), pages 63-76.
    6. Arnold Schneider, 2021. "Does knowledge about a borrowing firm’s internal audit influence bank lending decisions?," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(3), pages 304-314, September.
    7. Luis Porcuna-Enguix & Elisabeth Bustos-Contell & José Serrano-Madrid & Gregorio Labatut-Serer, 2021. "Constructing the Audit Risk Assessment by the Audit Team Leader When Planning: Using Fuzzy Theory," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(23), pages 1-22, November.
    8. Godlewski, Christophe J. & Turk-Ariss, Rima & Weill, Laurent, 2016. "Do the type of sukuk and choice of shari’a scholar matter?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 132(S), pages 63-76.
    9. Chen, Wen & Wu, Weili & Zhang, Tonghui, 2023. "Fintech development, firm digitalization, and bank loan pricing," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    10. Daniel Aobdia & Luminita Enache & Anup Srivastava, 2021. "Changes in Big N auditors’ client selection and retention strategies over time," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 715-754, February.
    11. Pappas, Kostas & Walsh, Eamonn & Xu, Alice Liang, 2019. "Real earnings management and loan contract terms," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(4), pages 373-401.
    12. Pinghsun Huang & Yi-Chieh Wen & Yan Zhang, 2020. "Does the monitoring effect of Big 4 audit firms really prevail? Evidence from managerial expropriation of cash assets," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 739-768, August.
    13. Yili Lian, 2018. "Bank competition and the cost of bank loans," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 51(1), pages 253-282, July.
    14. Timothy Hinkel, 2019. "Auditors and Relationship Banking," Accounting and Finance Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 8(3), pages 219-219, August.
    15. Ferrer, Elena & Santamaría, Rafael & Suárez, Nuria, 2019. "Does analyst information influence the cost of debt? Some international evidence," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 323-342.
    16. Bermpei, Theodora & Karadimitropoulou, Aikaterini & Triantafyllou, Athanasios & Alshalahi, Jebreel, 2023. "Does commodity price uncertainty matter for the cost of credit? Evidence from developing and advanced economies," Journal of Commodity Markets, Elsevier, vol. 29(C).
    17. Sung C. Bae & Kiyoung Chang & Ha-Chin Yi, 2018. "Corporate social responsibility, credit rating, and private debt contracting: new evidence from syndicated loan market," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 261-299, January.
    18. repec:zbw:bofitp:2014_021 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Linda Myers & Jaime Schmidt & Michael Wilkins, 2014. "An investigation of recent changes in going concern reporting decisions among Big N and non-Big N auditors," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 155-172, July.
    20. Christophe J. GODLEWSKI & Rima Turk-Ariss & Laurent Weill, 2014. "What Influences Stock Market Reaction to Sukuk Issues? The Impact of Scholars and Sukuk Types," Working Papers of LaRGE Research Center 2014-03, Laboratoire de Recherche en Gestion et Economie (LaRGE), Université de Strasbourg.
    21. Elisabeta Pana & Sascha Vitzthum & David Willis, 2015. "The impact of internet-based services on credit unions: a propensity score matching approach," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 329-352, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Auditor size; Auditor tenure; Loan pricing; Loan rate; G21; M42;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • M42 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Auditing

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