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Concentration Thresholds for Horizontal Mergers

Author

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  • Volker Nocke
  • Michael D. Whinston

Abstract

Concentration-based thresholds for horizontal mergers, such as those in the US Horizontal Merger Guidelines, play a central role in merger analysis but their basis remains unclear. We show that there is both a theoretical and an empirical basis for focusing solely on the change in concentration, and ignoring its level, in screening mergers for whether their unilateral price effects will harm consumers. We also argue that current threshold levels likely are too lax, unless one expects efficiency gains of 5 percent or greater, or other factors such as entry and product repositioning to significantly constrain the exercise of market power postmerger.

Suggested Citation

  • Volker Nocke & Michael D. Whinston, 2022. "Concentration Thresholds for Horizontal Mergers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 112(6), pages 1915-1948, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:112:y:2022:i:6:p:1915-48
    DOI: 10.1257/aer.20201038
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Rabah Arezki & Ana Margarida Fernandes & Federico Merchán & Ha Nguyen & Tristan Reed, 2021. "Natural Resource Dependence and Monopolized Imports," CESifo Working Paper Series 9254, CESifo.
    2. Andrea Batch & Benjamin R. Bridgman & Abe C. Dunn & Mahsa Gholizadeh, 2023. "Consumption Zones," BEA Papers 0114, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
    3. repec:bea:wpaper:0208 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Suguru Otani & Takuma Matsuda, 2023. "Unified Merger List in the Container Shipping Industry from 1966: A Structural Estimation of the Transition of Importance of a Firm's Age, Tonnage Capacity, and Geographical Proximity on Merger Decisi," Papers 2310.09938, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2023.
    5. Haucap, Justus & Stiebale, Joel, 2023. "Non-price effects of mergers and acquisitions," DICE Discussion Papers 402, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    6. FUKASAWA Takeshi & OHASHI Hiroshi, 2023. "Long-run Effect of a Horizontal Merger and Its Remedial Standards," Discussion papers 23001, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • K21 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Antitrust Law
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices

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