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Delistings, Controlling Shareholders and Firm Performance in Europe

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  • Ettore Croci
  • Alfonso Del Giudice

Abstract

Using a novel European data set, we investigate the role of controlling shareholders in delisting decisions. Minority shareholders earn lower abnormal returns when the controlling shareholder takes the company private, but this lower premium disappears when we control for the firm's characteristics. After the delisting, firms delisted by their controlling shareholders do not improve their operating performance. These results do not suggest that controlling shareholders expropriate minority investors with minority freeze†outs. Our findings are not due to heterogeneity across controlling shareholders. In fact, when we focus on family controlling shareholders, we find no evidence of performance improvement after the delisting.

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  • Ettore Croci & Alfonso Del Giudice, 2014. "Delistings, Controlling Shareholders and Firm Performance in Europe," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 20(2), pages 374-405, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:eufman:v:20:y:2014:i:2:p:374-405
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-036X.2011.00640.x
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    2. Boubaker, Sabri & Cellier, Alexis & Rouatbi, Wael, 2014. "The sources of shareholder wealth gains from going private transactions: The role of controlling shareholders," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 226-246.
    3. Domitilla Magni & Ottorino Morresi & Alberto Pezzi & Domenico Graziano, 2022. "Defining the Relationship Between Firm’s Performance and Delisting: Empirical Evidence of Going Private in Europe," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 2584-2605, September.
    4. Boers, Börje & Ljungkvist, Torbjörn & Brunninge, Olof & Nordqvist, Mattias, 2017. "Going private: A socioemotional wealth perspective on why family controlled companies decide to leave the stock-exchange," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 74-86.
    5. Attaoui, Sami & Cao, Wenbin & Six, Pierre, 2021. "Capital structure and the optimal payment methods in acquisitions," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    6. Baschieri, Giulia & Carosi, Andrea & Mengoli, Stefano, 2015. "Local IPOs, local delistings, and the firm location premium," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 67-83.
    7. Marc Berninger & Markus Klug & Dirk Schiereck, 2018. "Börsenrückzüge infolge steigender Corporate-Governance-Anforderungen – Empirische Evidenz von 13 europäischen Kapitalmärkten [Delistings due to Increased Corporate Governance Requirements – Empiric," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 70(4), pages 351-391, December.
    8. Dasilas, Apostolos & Grose, Chris, 2018. "The wealth effects of public-to-private LBOs: Evidence from Europe," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 179-194.

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