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Merger Arbitrage in Germany

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  • Ian McDermott
  • Mark Mulcahy

Abstract

This paper analyses the risk and return characteristics from a merger arbitrage trading strategy in Germany for the first time. The extant literature focuses mainly on data sets from Anglo-American based jurisdictions with mixed results. We argue that because in Germany i) acquisition laws bias consideration toward cash bids thereby decreasing the uncertainty of announced transactions (versus share offers) and ii) the Aufsichstrat (supervisory board with employee participation) has corporate governance oversight over any proposed merger such that only bids tacitly approved by it are likely to be announced in the first instance, a merger arbitrage trading strategy in a German setting will have different risk and return characteristics. To estimate the significance of merger arbitrage returns we construct a realistic measure of risk arbitrage which factors in transaction costs and other practical limitations encountered by arbitrageurs employing this strategy. We also construct two additional portfolios, an equally-weighted portfolio and a value weighted portfolio, for comparison purposes. The results show that the practical risk arbitrage manager portfolio fails to outperform on a risk-adjusted basis indicating that insofar as the German setting yields benefits in the form of lower risk, these are properly priced by the market.JEL classification numbers: G11, G15, G34Keywords: Merger arbitrage, Germany, abnormal returns, practical limitations

Suggested Citation

  • Ian McDermott & Mark Mulcahy, 2017. "Merger Arbitrage in Germany," Journal of Finance and Investment Analysis, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 6(2), pages 1-2.
    • Handle: RePEc:spt:fininv:v:6:y:2017:i:2:f:6_2_2
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    5. Krishnan Maheswaran & Soon Chin Yeoh, 2005. "The Profitability of Merger Arbitrage: Some Australian Evidence," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 30(1), pages 111-126, June.
    6. Baker, Malcolm & Savasoglu, Serkan, 2002. "Limited arbitrage in mergers and acquisitions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 91-115, April.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    merger arbitrage; germany; abnormal returns; practical limitations;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets

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