Session 1 Flashcards
What are change forces
external and internal industry dynamics that drive companies to pursue M&As. They are the underlying motivations or pressures which drive companies to seek strategic combinations to adapt, compete and thrive in evolving markets. Reflect change in economic, technological, social and competitive landscapes making MAs compelling growth strategies.
Industry shock hypothesis
- posited by Gort (1969)
- builds on existence of change forces and posited that sudden shocks (changes in tech, econ, social environment) affecting an industry, drive companies to pursue mergers.
Mitchell and Mulherin
Produced empirical study, of 51 US industries, and found that industry specific shocks correlated with periods of high MA activity
What are the most common shocks
Stock price movements and technological change.
technological change
may lead to new products and processes, resulting in unforseen demand industry wide, triggering an increase in MA frequency
Shin et al
Cited that obtaining technical knowledge and capabilities was becoming an increasing motivation for MA pursuit
Criticism of Industry shock hypothesis
Industry shocks tend to occur in periods of high liquidity and this liquidity is cited as a more robust explanation of mergers and merger waves.
Liquidity drivers
Posited by alexandris et al 2012
State liquidity rich environments act as a catalyst for firms to capatalise on favourable conditions.
Petzemos and Travlos (2013)
empirical study on target firm liquidity and MA activity
Findings:
- acquiring more liquid firms increase stock liquidity of acquirer
- increase likelihood of deal completion
- results in higher shareholder compensation
All of which may act as motivations to pursue mergers
Intertest rates
encourage firms to take on more debt and makes financing MAs easier
Bonaime et al
Policy uncertainty incentivizes acquirers to be more prudent when undertaking MA deals, once again highlighting liquidity as a driving factor
synergy hypothesis
firms are driven by economic gains created when firms merger their resources and operations
Seth et al 2000
supports synergy hypothesis
surveyed underlying motives of managers and found that they were driven to pursue deals they perceived would improve economic standing.
Relevance: these economic gains stem from ability to optimise management, enhance production processes, realise economies of scale, integrate complementary resources, exploit market power etc.
3 types of synergies
financial, operational, collusive
behavioral drivers
attribute managerial discretion and hubris to be driving factor of merger pursuit
Hubris hypothesis
(roll, 1969)
managers are overconfident in their abilities to generate positive returns for mergers. This inflated view of their abilities may lead managers to pursue risky or challanging projects
Managerial discretion theory
(Williamson, 1969)
managers are concerned with the success of the firm only to the extent that benefits them personally.
Could be in terms of - salary, dominance and professional excellence.
Managers may be motivated deals despite being value-depricating, for personal gains.
Rational explanation of merger waves
Posit that both the managers and the market are rational and look to maximise long term value
Gort (1969)
Posits merger waves arise in response to economic activity and disequilibrium in product market is created.
Some leading firms are then optimistic about demand, viewing targets at higher values and proceed to takeovers.
‘Me too approach’ seen where competitors follow this activity creating merger momentum.
Q ratio
Ration between market value and replacement value,
with firms at a higher Q being: overvalued, better managed , efficeint use of assets
Rosseu
mergers are a vehicle in which capital flows to better products and better management as high Q firms buy low Q firms, meaning assets are acquired by better value firms leading to higher value creation
Drawback
can explain mergers but don’t explain why they cluster in time
What is a dubious reason for merger waves
monopolistic motives
monopolistic motives
Prevalent during early waves however, development of anti-trust laws.
current anti-trust laws inhibit monopolistic motives as being a main driver of mergers, however mergers leading to monopolistic gains are still possible.
what are monopolistic gains
Refer to the desire to enhance gains or increase market power, by reducing competition.
Companies pursue these merger to dominate a market, control prices or create barriers for competition
empirical study on monopolistic gains
M&A transaction in machinery industries:
In concentated industries- M&A driven by efficiency gains rather than monopoly gains
In fragmented industries- prevalence in monopoly as motive
wave 1
1900s (only in US)
- mainly firms pursuing horizontal deals to reduce competition and achieve economies of scale
- produced monopolies meaning resulting firms controlled markets
driver of wave 1
- driven by tech changes, economic expansion, new legislation ,development of industrial stock exchanges.
- coincided with rapid industrialisation and was prevalent in heavy industries- development in production processes and large scale manufacturing
-economic conditions: abundant liquidity and capital- made financing deals easier - unregulated business environment and weak anti-trust regs allowed monopolitic practices to thrive- emergence of industrial drivers