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Expert reports in Australian takeovers: fees and quality

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  • Martin Bugeja
  • Raymond Da Silva Rosa
  • Terry Walter

Abstract

Target firms in Australian takeovers are required to commission the preparation of an independent expert report in circumstances where there is a perceived conflict of interest with the bidder. As approximately half of these reports are prepared by firms with which the target has other business dealings, concern has been expressed over the quality of these reports due to the suggestion that such reports are provided at lower fees. We examine the 191 independent expert reports provided in all 649 Australian takeover bids initiated in the period 1990 to 2000 inclusive. Using an expert‐fee model, we find that the fees for reports by experts with other business dealings with the target are not lower than those of unrelated experts. In addition, the results indicate that experts with other dealings with the target provide reports with a significantly smaller valuation range, consistent with these reports being of higher, rather than lower, quality. Our findings are inconsistent with the U.S. and New Zealand experience of prohibiting audit firms from providing valuation advice in takeovers.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Bugeja & Raymond Da Silva Rosa & Terry Walter, 2005. "Expert reports in Australian takeovers: fees and quality," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 41(3), pages 307-322, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:abacus:v:41:y:2005:i:3:p:307-322
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6281.2005.00184.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Simunic, Da, 1980. "The Pricing Of Audit Services - Theory And Evidence," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(1), pages 161-190.
    2. Martin Bugeja, 2005. "The 'Independence' of Expert Opinions in Corporate Takeovers: Agreeing With Directors' Recommendations," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(9-10), pages 1861-1885.
    3. White, Halbert, 1980. "A Heteroskedasticity-Consistent Covariance Matrix Estimator and a Direct Test for Heteroskedasticity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(4), pages 817-838, May.
    4. Martin Bugeja, 2005. "The ‘Independence’ of Expert Opinions in Corporate Takeovers: Agreeing With Directors’ Recommendations," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(9‐10), pages 1861-1885, November.
    5. Martin Bugeja, 2005. "Effect of independent expert reports in Australian takeovers," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 45(4), pages 519-536, December.
    6. Simunic, Da, 1984. "Auditing, Consulting, And Auditor Independence," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(2), pages 679-702.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bugeja, Martin, 2007. "Voluntary use of independent valuation advice by target firm boards in takeovers," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 368-387, September.
    2. Faff, Robert & Prasadh, Shyaam & Shams, Syed, 2019. "Merger and acquisition research in the Asia-Pacific region: A review of the evidence and future directions," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 267-278.
    3. Weetman, Pauline, 2006. "Discovering the ‘international’ in accounting and finance," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 351-370.
    4. Martin Bugeja, 2006. "Independent Expert Valuations in Takeovers: Are They Biased?," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 16(39), pages 19-24, July.

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