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Hedge funds versus private equity funds as shareholder activists in Germany — differences in value creation

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  • Mark Mietzner
  • Denis Schweizer

Abstract

We investigate the valuation effects of German firms targeted by hedge funds and by private equity investors. We argue that both types of investors differ from other blockholders by their strong motivation and ability to actively engage and reduce agency costs. Consequently, we find positive abnormal returns following a change in ownership structure. However, these effects differ markedly between both investors, as proxy variables for agency costs only explain the market reaction for our private equity subsample. We conclude that private equity funds seem to be more successful at creating shareholder value, which could be due to their longer-term perspective and a higher adaptability to the surrounding corporate governance system. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2014

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  • Mark Mietzner & Denis Schweizer, 2014. "Hedge funds versus private equity funds as shareholder activists in Germany — differences in value creation," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 38(2), pages 181-208, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jecfin:v:38:y:2014:i:2:p:181-208
    DOI: 10.1007/s12197-011-9203-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Hartmann, Jochen & Pelster, Matthias & Sievers, Soenke, 2023. "Can the market identify prosperous activist engagements? Evidence from announcement and long-term buy-and-hold returns," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 174-187.
    2. Jochen Hartmann & Matthias Pelster & Soenke Sievers, 2022. "Can the market identify prosperous activist engagements? Evidence from announcement and long-term buy-and-hold returns," Working Papers Dissertations 100, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    3. Lucian A. Bebchuk & Alon Brav & Wei Jiang & Thomas Keusch, 2019. "Dancing With Activists," NBER Working Papers 26171, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Jochen Hartmann & Matthias Pelster & Soenke Sievers, 2022. "Shareholder activism around the globe: Hedge funds vs. other professional investors," Working Papers Dissertations 98, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    5. Ryan Federo & Yuliya Ponomareva & Ruth V. Aguilera & Angel Saz‐Carranza & Carlos Losada, 2020. "Bringing owners back on board: A review of the role of ownership type in board governance," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 348-371, November.
    6. Sakshi Sharma & Kunjana Malik & Manmeet Kaur & Neha Saini, 2023. "Mapping research in the field of private equity: a bibliometric analysis," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(1), pages 61-89, February.
    7. Hartmann, Jochen, 2023. "Impact of public demands on the performance of hedge fund activist engagements," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    8. Jochen Hartmann, 2022. "Impact of public demands on the performance of hedge fund activist engagements," Working Papers Dissertations 99, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    9. Antonia Schickinger & Alexandra Bertschi-Michel & Max P. Leitterstorf & Nadine Kammerlander, 2022. "Same same, but different: capital structures in single family offices compared with private equity firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(3), pages 1407-1425, March.
    10. Chen, Guojun & Kang, Jun-Koo & Kim, Jin-Mo & Na, Hyun Seung, 2014. "Sources of value gains in minority equity investments by private equity funds: Evidence from block share acquisitions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 449-474.
    11. Ben Arfa, Nouha & Karmani, Majdi & Labaronne, Daniel, 2017. "Antecedents of hedge fund activism in French listed target firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1315-1326.
    12. Olaf M. Rottke & Felix K. Thiele, 2018. "Do family investors differ from other investors? Similarity, experience, and professionalism in the light of family investee firm challenges," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 88(2), pages 139-166, February.
    13. Barbara Voußem & Utz Schäffer & Denis Schweizer, 2015. "Top management turnover under the influence of activist investors," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 19(3), pages 709-739, August.
    14. Wei‐Huei Hsu & Sian Owen & Jo‐Ann Suchard, 2020. "The value of ongoing venture capital investment to newly listed firms," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(2), pages 1327-1349, June.
    15. Bebchuk, Lucian A. & Brav, Alon & Jiang, Wei & Keusch, Thomas, 2020. "Dancing with activists," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(1), pages 1-41.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Abnormal Returns; Corporate Governance; Hedge Funds; Private Equity; Shareholder Activism; G14; G32; G34; G38;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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