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Do targets grab the cash in takeovers: The role of earnings management

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  • Campa, Domenico
  • Hajbaba, Amir

Abstract

Extant research on Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) provides evidence that acquirers underperform subsequent to the takeover completion. Such evidence is more unequivocal for acquirers that finance the acquisition by issuing equity relative to those that use cash. Current literature recognizes various reasons for this underperformance, most of which suggest overvaluation of the acquirers and/or overpayment for the targets at the time of acquisition announcement. Alternatively, this paper aims to investigate whether acquirers' post-takeover abnormal return is also attributed to target firms' real and/or accrual earnings management. Our results indicate that, on average, targets manage earnings upwards using real transactions rather than accruals, during the year preceding the takeover. More specifically, we find evidence of earnings management through sales among targets of cash acquisitions and that it is significantly and negatively related to the post-acquisition performance of the acquirers. These findings suggest that there is an association between the method of financing in acquisitions and earnings management in target firms, which could impact the post-takeover performance of acquirers.

Suggested Citation

  • Campa, Domenico & Hajbaba, Amir, 2016. "Do targets grab the cash in takeovers: The role of earnings management," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 56-64.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:44:y:2016:i:c:p:56-64
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2016.01.008
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    2. Mughal, Azhar & Tao, Qizhi & Sun, Yicheng & Xiang, Xueman, 2021. "Earnings management at target firms and the acquirers’ performance," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 384-404.
    3. Lai, Jung-Ho & Chen, Li-Yu & Chen, Carl R., 2017. "Agency hazard, managerial incentives, and the wealth effects of joint venture investments," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 190-202.
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    5. Ahsan Habib & Dinithi Ranasinghe & Julia Yonghua Wu & Pallab Kumar Biswas & Fawad Ahmad, 2022. "Real earnings management: A review of the international literature," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(4), pages 4279-4344, December.
    6. Franck Missonier‐Piera & Cédric Spadetti, 2023. "The consequences of earnings management for the acquisition premium in friendly takeovers," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1-2), pages 308-334, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Takeover; Earnings management; Long-term performance; Abnormal return; Real activity manipulation; Accrual manipulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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