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Financial vs. Strategic Buyers

Author

Listed:
  • Marc Martos-Vila
  • Matthew Rhodes-Kropf
  • Jarrad Harford

Abstract

This paper introduces the impact of debt misvaluation on merger and acquisition activity. Debt misvaluation helps explain the shifting dominance of financial acquirers (private equity firms) relative to strategic acquirers (operating companies). The effects of overvalued debt might seem limited since both acquirer types and target firms can access the debt markets. However, fundamental differences in governance and project co-insurance between the two types of acquirer interact with debt misvaluation, resulting in variation in how assets are owned that depends on debt market conditions. We find support for our theory in merger data using a novel measure of debt misvaluation.

Suggested Citation

  • Marc Martos-Vila & Matthew Rhodes-Kropf & Jarrad Harford, 2013. "Financial vs. Strategic Buyers," NBER Working Papers 19378, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:19378
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Mike Burkart & Amil Dasgupta, 2014. "Activist Funds, Leverage, and Procyclicality," FMG Discussion Papers dp733, Financial Markets Group.
    2. Gorbenko, Alexander S., 2019. "How do valuations impact outcomes of asset sales with heterogeneous bidders?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(1), pages 88-117.
    3. Chu, Yongqiang & Li, Zeguang, 2022. "Banking relationship, information reusability, and acquisition loans," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    4. Norbäck, Pehr-Johan & Persson, Lars & Tåg, Joacim, 2010. "Buying to Sell: A Theory of Buyouts," Working Paper Series 817, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    5. Valentin Haddad & Erik Loualiche & Matthew Plosser, 2017. "Buyout Activity: The Impact of Aggregate Discount Rates," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(1), pages 371-414, February.
    6. Malenko, Andrey & Malenko, Nadya, 2015. "A theory of LBO activity based on repeated debt-equity conflicts," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(3), pages 607-627.
    7. Magnus Blomkvist & Timo Korkeamäki, 2017. "Financial versus strategic bidders: Evidence from unsuccessful takeover bids," Post-Print hal-01578935, HAL.
    8. Blomkvist, Magnus & Korkeamäki, Timo, 2017. "Financial versus strategic bidders: Evidence from unsuccessful takeover bids," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 142-144.
    9. Baziki, Selva & Norbäck, Pehr-Johan & Persson, Lars & Tåg, Joacim, 2015. "Cross-Border Acquisitions and Restructuring: Multinational Enterprises versus Private Equity-Firms," Working Paper Series 1057, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    10. Baziki, Selva Bahar & Norbäck, Pehr-Johan & Persson, Lars & Tåg, Joacim, 2017. "Cross-border acquisitions and restructuring: Multinational enterprises and private equity-firms," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 166-184.
    11. Sarah Osborne, 2020. "Abnormal returns and asymmetric information surrounding strategic and financial acquisitions," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(4), pages 3991-4030, December.
    12. Burkart, Mike & Dasgupta, Amil, 2014. "Activist funds, leverage, and procyclicality," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 119029, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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