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Sources of Gains in Corporate Mergers: Refined Tests from a Neglected Industry
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Sources of Gains in Corporate Mergers: Refined Tests from a Neglected Industry

David A. Becher, J. Harold Mulherin and Ralph A. Walkling
Journal of financial and quantitative analysis, v 47(1), pp 57-89
01 Feb 2012

Abstract

Business & Economics Business, Finance Economics Social Sciences
Our work provides refined tests of the source of merger gains in a neglected industry: utilities. Utilities offer fertile ground for analysis of traditional theories: synergy, collusion, hubris, and anticipation. Utility mergers create wealth for the combined firm, consistent with both the synergy and collusion hypotheses. To distinguish between these hypotheses, we study rival stock returns across dimensions related to collusion: deregulation, geography, and horizontal and withdrawn deals. We also find that the impact of mergers on consumer prices is consistent with synergy rather than collusion. Analysis of industry rivals that become targets also rejects collusion and is consistent with anticipation.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Business, Finance
Economics
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