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Corporate Pension Plans as Takeover Deterrents

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  • Cocco, João F.
  • Volpin, Paolo F.

Abstract

We use UK data to show that firms that sponsor a defined-benefit pension plan are less likely to be targeted in an acquisition and, conditional on an attempted takeover, they are less likely to be acquired. Our explanation is that the uncertainty in the value of pension liabilities is a source of risk for acquirers of the firm's shares, which works as a takeover deterrent. In support of this explanation we find that these same firms are more likely to use cash when acquiring other firms, and that the announcement of a cash acquisition is associated with positive announcement effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Cocco, João F. & Volpin, Paolo F., 2013. "Corporate Pension Plans as Takeover Deterrents," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 48(4), pages 1119-1144, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jfinqa:v:48:y:2013:i:04:p:1119-1144_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Rauh, Joshua D. & Stefanescu, Irina & Zeldes, Stephen P., 2020. "Cost saving and the freezing of corporate pension plans," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    2. Katsafados, Apostolos G. & Leledakis, George N. & Pyrgiotakis, Emmanouil G. & Androutsopoulos, Ion & Fergadiotis, Manos, 2024. "Machine learning in bank merger prediction: A text-based approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 312(2), pages 783-797.
    3. Vafeas, Nikos & Vlittis, Adamos, 2018. "Independent directors and defined benefit pension plan freezes," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 505-518.
    4. Xu, Xixiong & Duan, Lingling, 2023. "Confucianism and employee stock ownership plans: Evidence from Chinese listed firms," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 859-872.
    5. Carlos J. O. Trejo‐Pech & Michael A. Gunderson & Dayton M. Lambert, 2021. "Mergers and acquisitions in the U.S. agribusiness sector, 1990–2017," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(4), pages 713-730, October.
    6. Liang, Hao & Renneboog, Luc & Vansteenkiste, Cara, 2020. "Cross-border acquisitions and employment policies," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    7. Duygun, Meryem & Huang, Bihong & Qian, Xiaolin & Tam, Lewis H.K., 2018. "Corporate pension plans and investment choices: Bargaining or conforming?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 519-537.
    8. Chen, Yangyang & Ge, Rui & Zolotoy, Leon, 2017. "Do corporate pension plans affect audit pricing?," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 322-337.
    9. Michael Kisser & John Kiff & Mauricio Soto, 2017. "Do Managers of U.S. Defined Benefit Pension Plan Sponsors Use Regulatory Freedom Strategically?," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(5), pages 1213-1255, December.
    10. Joshua D. Rauh & Irina Stefanescu & Stephen P. Zeldes, 2020. "Cost Saving and the Freezing of Corporate Pension Plans," NBER Working Papers 27251, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Amanjot Singh & Harminder Singh, 2022. "Shareholder response to pension deficit: evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 46(3), pages 566-574, July.
    12. Chaudhry, Neeru & Au Yong, Hue Hwa & Veld, Chris, 2017. "Tax avoidance in response to a decline in the funding status of defined benefit pension plans," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 99-116.
    13. Liang, H. & Renneboog, Luc & Vansteenkiste, C., 2020. "Cross-border acquisitions and employment policies," Other publications TiSEM 23784b4f-1736-4990-af3d-2, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    14. Cassella, Stefano & Rizzo, A. Emanuele, 2023. "The equity value implications of court ideology: Evidence from federal judge turnover," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    15. 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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