IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v79y2025ics1544612325005446.html

The effect of financial advisor reputation on mergers and acquisitions performance

Author

Listed:
  • Hao, Yinhui
  • Zhou, Yan

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between the reputation of financial advisors and the performance of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) among China's A-share listed companies over the 2012–2022 period. Our analysis of a sample of M&A and restructuring events reveals a significant positive association between the reputation of financial advisors and the success of M&A deals. Importantly, this positive relationship is found to be attenuated in cases involving shell listings. Additionally, we find that a higher degree of marketization enhances the positive impact of financial advisor reputation on M&A performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Hao, Yinhui & Zhou, Yan, 2025. "The effect of financial advisor reputation on mergers and acquisitions performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:79:y:2025:i:c:s1544612325005446
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.107281
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612325005446
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2025.107281?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daniliuc, Sorin & Guo, Hui & Wee, Marvin, 2023. "The usefulness of financial advisors to government-influenced Chinese acquirers," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    2. Liang, Peng & Liang, Lin & Tang, Xinhui, 2024. "The impact of digital-oriented mergers and acquisitions on enterprise labor demand," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    3. Chen, Chong & Wu, Xueping, 2021. "Winning megadeals: The dual role of acquirer advisors in loan-financed mergers and acquisitions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    4. Wan, Liangyong & Ren, Liuyang & Lin, Bingxuan & Xu, Xiaowei, 2021. "Does investment banker human capital matter in acquisitions? Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    5. Wang, Yichen & Hu, Jun & Chen, Jia, 2023. "Does Fintech facilitate cross-border M&As? Evidence from Chinese A-share listed firms," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    6. He, Feng & Guo, Xinyao & Yue, Pengpeng, 2024. "Media coverage and corporate ESG performance: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    7. Zhang, Zhu & Lyles, Marjorie A. & Wu, Changqi, 2020. "The stock market performance of exploration-oriented and exploitation-oriented cross-border mergers and acquisitions: Evidence from emerging market enterprises," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4).
    8. Peng, Hongfeng & Zhang, Zhenqi & Goodell, John W. & Li, Mingsheng, 2023. "Socially responsible investing: Is it for real or just for show?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    9. Ismail, Ahmad & Mavis, Christos P., 2022. "A new method for measuring CEO overconfidence: Evidence from acquisitions," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    10. Nguyen, Hang Thi Dieu & Tsai, Hsiangping, 2024. "Relationship Advisors Guiding Financially Weak Targets in M&A Deals: Conflict of Interest and Reputation Concerns," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    11. Chiu, Shih-Chi (Sana) & Pathak, Seemantini & Sabz, Azadeh, 2022. "The impact of advisor status on corporate divestitures and market reactions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 107-121.
    12. Mansley, Nick & Wang, Zilong & Weng, Xiaoyu & Zhang, Wenjing, 2023. "Good growth, bad growth: Market reaction to capital raising for REIT expansion," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    13. Maung, Min & Wilson, Craig & Yu, Weisu, 2020. "Does reputation risk matter? Evidence from cross-border mergers and acquisitions," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    14. Pathak, Seemantini & Chiu, Shih-Chi (Sana), 2020. "Firm-advisor ties and financial performance in the context of corporate divestiture," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 315-328.
    15. Li, Dongxin & Zhang, Li & Li, Lihong, 2023. "Forecasting stock volatility with economic policy uncertainty: A smooth transition GARCH-MIDAS model," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    16. JuXian Wang & Tianyi Dong & Jinbu Zhai, 2023. "Goodwill Impairment, Loss Avoidance Effects and Subsequent Corporate M&A Decisions," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(2), pages 479-497, January.
    17. Chenyu Zhang & Ju Mao & Xinshu Mao, 2024. "M&A compensation commitment and stock price crash risk: evidence from China," Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(5), pages 757-787, September.
    18. Song, Sangcheol & Zeng, Yuping & Zhou, Bing, 2021. "Information asymmetry, cross-listing, and post-M&A performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 447-457.
    19. Guo, Jie (Michael) & Li, Yichen & Wang, Changyun & Xing, Xiaofei, 2020. "The role of investment bankers in M&As: New evidence on Acquirers’ financial conditions," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    20. Ahmed, Rizwan & Chen, Yawen & Benjasak, Chonlakan & Gregoriou, Andros & Nahar Falah Alrwashdeh, Nusiebeh & Than, Ei Thuzar, 2023. "The performance of bidding companies in merger and acquisition deals: An empirical study of domestic acquisitions in Hong Kong and Mainland China," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 168-180.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Huang, Qiongyu & Zhang, Ruiyao & Li, Siyao & Li, Jingjing & Yao, Qiong, 2024. "The role of financial advisorʼs industry expertise in M&A quality: Evidence from goodwill impairment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PB), pages 216-231.
    2. Qi, Meng & Wu, Wei & Yan, Yue & Wu, Shuying & Ji, Zheng, 2025. "Do legal advisors boost M&A performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    3. Feng, Yun & Liu, Chelsea & Yawson, Alfred, 2023. "Economic shocks, M&A advisors, and industry takeover activity," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    4. Feng, Hongxia & Yang, Bowen & Bhandari, Pratikshya, 2024. "The influence of CSR on cross-border mergers and acquisitions," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    5. Liang, Peng & Liang, Lin & Tang, Xinhui, 2024. "The impact of digital-oriented mergers and acquisitions on enterprise labor demand," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    6. Tang, Ning & Xu, Xiaodong & Hsu, Yuan-Teng & Lin, Chih-Yung, 2024. "The impact of ESG distance on mergers and acquisitions," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    7. Barros, Victor & Verga Matos, Pedro & Miranda Sarmento, Joaquim & Rino Vieira, Pedro, 2022. "M&A activity as a driver for better ESG performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    8. Zhang, Ying & Zhang, Qianwen, 2025. "Goodwill impairment and corporate innovation investment," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    9. Chao, Wu & Yifei, Xing & Shuai, Yang, 2025. "Aggravating effect: ESG performance and reputational penalty," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    10. Zhang, Qixin & Xiang, Zhiqiang & Xiang, Zhiguo, 2025. "New media supervision, digital transformation, and corporate green investment," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    11. Yu, Haipeng & Cheng, Xiaoke & Sun, Qian & Shen, Xiaotian, 2025. "Does vertical integration reduce the cost of equity?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    12. Marie, Mohamed & Qi, Baolei & Elgammal, Mohammed & Elnahass, Marwa, 2024. "A more sustainable future: Can politically connected CEOs spur the nexus between ESG performance and firm financial performance?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    13. Peng, Zhen & Bai, Fan & Zhao, Feng, 2024. "Digital finance, life cycle, and enterprise mergers and acquisitions," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 67(PB).
    14. Sugandh Ahuja & Shveta Singh & Surendra Singh Yadav, 2024. "Informativeness of Announcement Returns in Cross-border Acquisition Completion: A Perspective from Emerging Economies," Journal of Emerging Market Finance, Institute for Financial Management and Research, vol. 23(4), pages 424-449, December.
    15. Cai, Hongyu & Deng, Qiyun, 2025. "ESG incidents and M&A decisions," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    16. Buchetti, Bruno & Arduino, Francesca Romana & Perdichizzi, Salvatore, 2025. "A literature review on corporate governance and ESG research: Emerging trends and future directions," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    17. Ke, Dun-Yao & Su, Xuan-Qi, 2024. "How Do Elite-Educated CEOs Choose the M&A Payment Method? Evidence from Taiwan," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    18. Liu, Ya-Fei & Li, Hui & Liang, Sai, 2022. "Any reputation is a good reputation: influence of investor-perceived reputation in restructuring on hospitality firm performance," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    19. Xu, Siyun & Bai, Xiaodong & Chen, Xia, 2025. "Corporate environmental, social, and governance performance, investor attention, and corporate development capability—An empirical examination based on moderating and threshold effects," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    20. Tao Han & Xavier Martin, 2025. "Board effectiveness and internalization benefits : Theory and evidence from value creation in cross-border acquisitions," Post-Print hal-05083051, HAL.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:79:y:2025:i:c:s1544612325005446. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/frl .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.