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Determinants and consequences of the unification of dual-class shares

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Author Info
Anete Pajuste () (RTU Riga Business School, Skolas 11, Riga LV-1010, Latvia)
Abstract

This paper explores the reasons why an increasing number of firms in continental Europe are unifying their shares into a single class, and analyzes the consequences of this restructuring. Interestingly, recent changes in corporate governance environment have created a situation when the reasons that once caused the introduction of dual-class shares, i.e., the need to issue new equity and to defend firm from a possible takeover, are the same that now motivate firms to switch back to one share-one vote. Meanwhile, higher value of control rights (e.g., high separation between control and cash flow rights) significantly reduces the likelihood of unification. Finally, the data show that firm value increases after the unification.

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Paper provided by European Central Bank in its series Working Paper Series with number 465.

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Length: 59 pages
Date of creation: Mar 2005
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Handle: RePEc:ecb:ecbwps:20050465

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Related research
Keywords: Corporate governance; dual-class shares; one share-one vote.;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Capital and Ownership Structure
G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Alexander Muravyev, 2007. "Dual Class Stock in Russia: What Explains the Price Differential between Common and Preferred Shares?," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 680, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
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