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Sources of Gains in Corporate Mergers: Refined Tests from a Neglected Industry

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  • Becher, David A.
  • Mulherin, J. Harold
  • Walkling, Ralph A.

Abstract

Our work provides refined tests of the source of merger gains in a neglected industry: utilities. Utilities offer fertile ground for analysis of traditional theories: synergy, collusion, hubris, and anticipation. Utility mergers create wealth for the combined firm, consistent with both the synergy and collusion hypotheses. To distinguish between these hypotheses, we study rival stock returns across dimensions related to collusion: deregulation, geography, and horizontal and withdrawn deals. We also find that the impact of mergers on consumer prices is consistent with synergy rather than collusion. Analysis of industry rivals that become targets also rejects collusion and is consistent with anticipation.

Suggested Citation

  • Becher, David A. & Mulherin, J. Harold & Walkling, Ralph A., 2012. "Sources of Gains in Corporate Mergers: Refined Tests from a Neglected Industry," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 47(1), pages 57-89, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jfinqa:v:47:y:2012:i:01:p:57-89_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Monastyrenko, Evgenii, 2017. "Eco-efficiency outcomes of mergers and acquisitions in the European electricity industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 258-277.
    2. Alcalde, Nuria & Powell, Ronan, 2022. "Government intervention in European mergers and acquisitions," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    3. Loveland, Robert & Mulherin, J. Harold & Okoeguale, Kevin, 2021. "Deregulation, listing and delisting," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    4. Ozge Uyger & Gulser Meric & Ilhan Meric, 2014. "Market Reaction to Acquisition Announcements after the 2008 Stock Market Crash," The International Journal of Business and Finance Research, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 8(4), pages 75-82.
    5. Ovtchinnikov, Alexei V., 2013. "Merger waves following industry deregulation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 51-76.
    6. Otchere, Isaac & Abukari, Kobana, 2020. "Are super stock exchange mergers motivated by efficiency or market power gains?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    7. Pablo Moran, 2017. "Information Revelation in Merger Waves," The Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 6(2), pages 174-233.
    8. Okoeguale, Kevin I. & Loveland, Robert, 2017. "Telecommunications deregulation and the motives for mergers," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 15-31.
    9. Svejnar, Jan & Hagemejer, Jan & Tyrowicz, Joanna, 2018. "Are Rushed Privatizations Substandard? Analyzing Firm-level Privatization under Fiscal Pressure," CEPR Discussion Papers 12991, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    10. Evgenii Monastyrenko, 2016. "Cross-Border M&As and Eco-Environmental Performance of European Energy Utilities," FIW Working Paper series 169, FIW.
    11. Mario Fischer, 2015. "Challenging the payment effect in bank-financed takeovers," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 26(4), pages 347-376, October.
    12. Darren Filson & Saman Olfati & Fatos Radoniqi, 2015. "Evaluating Mergers in the Presence of Dynamic Competition Using Impacts on Rivals," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58(4).
    13. Fangming Xu & Huainan Zhao, 2013. "Three-Way Takeovers," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 36(1), pages 67-90, January.
    14. Gao, Ning & Peng, Ni & Strong, Norman, 2017. "What determines horizontal merger antitrust case selection?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 51-76.
    15. Chen Lin & Thomas Schmid & Michael S. Weisbach, 2017. "Price Risk, Production Flexibility, and Liquidity Management: Evidence from Electricity Generating Firms," NBER Working Papers 23434, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Frederick Davis & Svetlana Davis & Xiaoyang Sha & Thomas Walker, 2022. "The impact of takeover anticipation on rival firms," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(7-8), pages 1264-1288, July.
    17. Aktas, Nihat & de Bodt, Eric & Roll, Richard, 2013. "MicroHoo: Deal failure, industry rivalry, and sources of overbidding," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 19(C), pages 20-35.
    18. Aneel Keswani & David Stolin & Anh L. Tran, 2017. "Frenemies: How Do Financial Firms Vote on Their Own Kind?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(3), pages 631-654, March.
    19. Hong Zhu & Qi Zhu, 2016. "Mergers and acquisitions by Chinese firms: A review and comparison with other mergers and acquisitions research in the leading journals," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 33(4), pages 1107-1149, December.

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