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The Labor Market Consequences of Acquisitions

Author

Listed:
  • Jakob Beuschlein
  • Jósef Sigurdsson
  • Horng Chern Wong

Abstract

We study the effects of corporate acquisitions on workers using Swedish administrative data and document substantial, persistent earnings losses following acquisitions. These losses reflect both displacement and wage cuts among stayers from target firms. We find no evidence that increased monopsony power accounts for these wage cuts. Instead, they are concentrated in acquisitions where the acquiring-firm CEO sat on the board of the target prior to the transaction. Such acquisitions increase acquiring-firm profits and CEO pay, without affecting total employment or revenue, consistent with rent redistribution. Overall, acquisitions reduce wages and disrupt employment, with profit gains partly extracted from workers.

Suggested Citation

  • Jakob Beuschlein & Jósef Sigurdsson & Horng Chern Wong, 2025. "The Labor Market Consequences of Acquisitions," CESifo Working Paper Series 12162, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12162
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Johannes F. Schmieder & Till von Wachter & Jörg Heining, 2023. "The Costs of Job Displacement over the Business Cycle and Its Sources: Evidence from Germany," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 113(5), pages 1208-1254, May.
    2. Susan Athey & Lisa K. Simon & Oskar N. Skans & Johan Vikstrom & Yaroslav Yakymovych, 2023. "The Heterogeneous Earnings Impact of Job Loss Across Workers, Establishments, and Markets," Papers 2307.06684, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2024.
    3. Isaac Sorkin, 2018. "Ranking Firms Using Revealed Preference," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 133(3), pages 1331-1393.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J42 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Monopsony; Segmented Labor Markets
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance

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