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Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions: The Role of Private Equity Firms

Author

Listed:
  • Mark Humphery-Jenner

    (University of New South Wales, Tilburg University)

  • Zacharias Sautner

    (University of Amsterdam, Duisenberg school of finance)

  • Jo-Ann Suchard

    (University of New South Wales)

Abstract

We study the role of private equity firms in cross-border mergers and acquisitions. We find that private equity-owned firms are more likely to become targets in crossborderM&A transactions. This effect is particularly strong in transactions where the target or its shareholders actively reach out for an acquirer. On average, cross-borderdeals with private equity-involvement are not associated with higher announcement returns. However, announcement returns are higher if the acquirer is owned by a private equity firm and the target is from a country with poor corporate governance. We provide evidence indicating that the international networks and connections that result from prior cross-border deals can explain why private equity firms create value in such deals. Our findings suggest that private equity firms can help to reduce information asymmetries in certain cross-border M&A deals. We perform several tests to address possible endogeneity concerns.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Humphery-Jenner & Zacharias Sautner & Jo-Ann Suchard, 2012. "Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions: The Role of Private Equity Firms," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 12-031/2/DSF32, Tinbergen Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20120031
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    2. Zilja, Flladina & Benito, Gabriel R.G. & Boustanifar, Hamid & Zhang, Dan, 2023. "CEO wealth and cross-border acquisitions by SMEs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(6).
    3. Carolina Salva & Xiqian Zhang, 2022. "Financial versus strategic bidders and underpricing as an acquisition motive," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(9-10), pages 1830-1862, October.
    4. Gill-de-Albornoz, Belén & Maffei, Marco & Spagnuolo, Flavio, 2025. "Does the financial reporting quality of private targets matter for deal timing? Evidence from European M&A," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    5. Gnekpe, Christian & Jimenez, Alfredo, 2023. "Smoke signal: When firms' patent strategy and local patent protection system affect equity stakes in cross-border acquisitions," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(6).
    6. Sara L. McGaughey & Pascalis Raimondos & Lisbeth La Cour, 2018. "What is a Foreign Firm? Implications for Productivity Spillovers," CESifo Working Paper Series 7109, CESifo.
    7. Zhu, Bing & Xia, Xiaoxue & Zheng, Xiaojia, 2021. "One way out of the share pledging quagmire: Evidence from mergers and acquisitions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    8. Liyun Liu & Huaibo Dong & Lei Qi, 2025. "How Directors with Green Backgrounds Drive Corporate Green Innovation: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-36, July.
    9. 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).
    10. Ahsan, Faisal Mohammad & Popli, Manish & Kumar, Vikas, 2024. "Formal institutions and cross-border mergers and acquisitions: A systematic literature review and research agenda," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(5).
    11. Bauer, Florian & Raswant, Arpit & Sarkar, Md Ahasan Habib, 2025. "Organization Capital and International Acquisitions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    12. Schriber, Svante & Degischer, Daniel, 2020. "Disentangling acquisition experience: A multilevel analysis and future research agenda," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(2).
    13. Christofi, Michael & Vrontis, Demetris & Thrassou, Alkis & Shams, S.M. Riad, 2019. "Triggering technological innovation through cross-border mergers and acquisitions: A micro-foundational perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 148-166.
    14. Benjamin Hammer & Nils Janssen & Bernhard Schwetzler, 2021. "Cross-border buyout pricing," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 91(5), pages 705-731, July.
    15. Manuel Wiedemann & Dodo Knyphausen-Aufseß & Niko Ippendorf, 2025. "Revisiting Shimizu et al. (2004): What do we know and what should we know about cross-border mergers and acquisitions?," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 19(8), pages 2373-2421, August.
    16. Hammer, Benjamin & Knauer, Alexander & Pflücke, Magnus & Schwetzler, Bernhard, 2017. "Inorganic growth strategies and the evolution of the private equity business model," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 31-63.
    17. Polovina, Nereida & Peasnell, Ken, 2020. "Do minority acquisitions transfer better corporate governance practices? An analysis of UK's cross-border minority investments," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(3).
    18. Emm, Ekaterina E. & Han, Bo & Li, Bochen, 2024. "Cross-border acquisitions: The case of SPACs," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    19. Dahlen, Niklas & Dittmann, Yannik & Schreiter, Maximilian, 2025. "A look across the big pond and into the abyss — Performance of earnout deals in Europe and in times of crisis," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    20. Yang, Na & Zhang, Yuan & Yu, Lu & Wang, Jue & Liu, Xiaming, 2022. "Cross-border mergers and acquisitions, regional cultural diversity and acquirers’ corporate social responsibility: Evidence from China listed companies," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 565-578.
    21. Gemson, Josephine, 2021. "Private company acquisitions in the market for corporate control: A comparison between private equity and corporate acquirers," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 342-357.
    22. Juan Bu & Yinuo Tang & Yadong Luo & Chengguang Li, 2023. "Learning from inbound foreign acquisitions for outbound expansion by emerging market MNEs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(5), pages 852-886, July.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage

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