IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jebusi/v94y2017icp15-31.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Telecommunications deregulation and the motives for mergers

Author

Listed:
  • Okoeguale, Kevin I.
  • Loveland, Robert

Abstract

We study mergers in the regulated telecommunications industry to test theories of merger gains. We find that mergers yield positive returns to the combined firms. Because this effect is consistent with the collusion, competitive advantage and anticipation hypotheses, we study returns to rivals to differentiate the hypotheses. Our results indicate that rival firms earn positive abnormal stock returns upon the announcement of an industry merger and that returns exhibit substantial cross-sectional dispersion. Rivals that become targets in subsequent mergers earn significantly greater announcement returns than do subsequent non-targets. Financial characteristics of initial target firms and subsequent targets are statistically indistinguishable. Finally, rival abnormal returns are insignificantly related to market concentration and horizontal vs. vertical deal status. These results are consistent with predictions of the anticipation hypothesis and inconsistent with collusion. Thus, our findings indicate that deregulation did not foster collusion in mergers in the telecom industry but, instead, merger gains are due to merger-induced efficiencies.

Suggested Citation

  • Okoeguale, Kevin I. & Loveland, Robert, 2017. "Telecommunications deregulation and the motives for mergers," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 15-31.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jebusi:v:94:y:2017:i:c:p:15-31
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeconbus.2017.08.002
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148619517301923
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jeconbus.2017.08.002?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Spector, David, 2007. "Bundling, tying, and collusion," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 575-581, June.
    2. Bradley, Michael & Desai, Anand & Kim, E. Han, 1988. "Synergistic gains from corporate acquisitions and their division between the stockholders of target and acquiring firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 3-40, May.
    3. Sorensen, Donald E., 2000. "Characteristics of merging firms," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(5), pages 423-433.
    4. Betton, Sandra & Eckbo, B Espen, 2000. "Toeholds, Bid Jumps, and Expected Payoffs in Takeovers," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 13(4), pages 841-882.
    5. Kim, E Han & Singal, Vijay, 1993. "Mergers and Market Power: Evidence from the Airline Industry," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 83(3), pages 549-569, June.
    6. Eckbo, B. Espen, 1983. "Horizontal mergers, collusion, and stockholder wealth," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(1-4), pages 241-273, April.
    7. Becher, David A., 2009. "Bidder returns and merger anticipation: Evidence from banking deregulation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 85-98, February.
    8. Mitchell A. Petersen, 2009. "Estimating Standard Errors in Finance Panel Data Sets: Comparing Approaches," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(1), pages 435-480, January.
    9. Eckbo, B Espen & Wier, Peggy, 1985. "Antimerger Policy under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act: A Reexamination of the Market Power Hypothesis," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 28(1), pages 119-149, April.
    10. Hasbrouck, Joel, 1985. "The characteristics of takeover targets and other measures," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 9(3), pages 351-362, September.
    11. Gregor Andrade & Mark Mitchell & Erik Stafford, 2001. "New Evidence and Perspectives on Mergers," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 15(2), pages 103-120, Spring.
    12. Economides, Nicholas, 1999. "The Telecommunications Act of 1996 and its impact1," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 455-483, December.
    13. Paola Sapienza, 2002. "The Effects of Banking Mergers on Loan Contracts," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(1), pages 329-367, February.
    14. Roll, Richard, 1986. "The Hubris Hypothesis of Corporate Takeovers," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 59(2), pages 197-216, April.
    15. Eckbo, B Espen, 1985. "Mergers and the Market Concentration Doctrine: Evidence from the Capital Market," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58(3), pages 325-349, July.
    16. Edmond Baranes, 2009. "Bundling and collusion in communications markets," International Journal of Management and Network Economics, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(4), pages 357-377.
    17. Fama, Eugene F. & French, Kenneth R., 1993. "Common risk factors in the returns on stocks and bonds," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 3-56, February.
    18. Stillman, Robert, 1983. "Examining antitrust policy towards horizontal mergers," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(1-4), pages 225-240, April.
    19. Jie Cai & Moon H. Song & Ralph A. Walkling, 2011. "Anticipation, Acquisitions, and Bidder Returns: Industry Shocks and the Transfer of Information across Rivals," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 24(7), pages 2242-2285.
    20. Harford, Jarrad, 2005. "What drives merger waves?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(3), pages 529-560, September.
    21. Jong-Hee Hahn & Sang-Hyun Kim, 2016. "Interfirm Bundled Discounts as a Collusive Device," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(2), pages 255-276, June.
    22. Becher, David A. & Mulherin, J. Harold & Walkling, Ralph A., 2012. "Sources of Gains in Corporate Mergers: Refined Tests from a Neglected Industry," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 47(1), pages 57-89, February.
    23. Jarrell, Gregg A & Brickley, James A & Netter, Jeffry M, 1988. "The Market for Corporate Control: The Empirical Evidence Since 1980," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 2(1), pages 49-68, Winter.
    24. Singal, Vijay, 1996. "Airline Mergers and Competition: An Integration of Stock and Product Price Effects," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 69(2), pages 233-268, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Song, Moon H. & Walkling, Ralph A., 2005. "Anticipation, Acquisitions and Bidder Returns," Working Paper Series 2005-11, Ohio State University, Charles A. Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics.
    2. Akdogu, Evrim, 2009. "Gaining a competitive edge through acquisitions: Evidence from the telecommunications industry," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 99-112, February.
    3. Frederick Davis & Svetlana Davis & Xiaoyang Sha & Thomas Walker, 2022. "The impact of takeover anticipation on rival firms," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(7-8), pages 1264-1288, July.
    4. Gao, Ning & Peng, Ni & Zhang, Yi, 2021. "Distributive inefficiency in horizontal mergers: Evidence from wealth transfers between merging firms and their customers," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    5. Shahrur, Husayn, 2005. "Industry structure and horizontal takeovers: Analysis of wealth effects on rivals, suppliers, and corporate customers," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 61-98, April.
    6. Jozsef Molnar, 2002. "Preemptive Horizontal Mergers: Theory and Evidence," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 0213, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    7. Fangming Xu & Huainan Zhao, 2013. "Three-Way Takeovers," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 36(1), pages 67-90, January.
    8. Pablo Moran, 2017. "Information Revelation in Merger Waves," The Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 6(2), pages 174-233.
    9. Ovtchinnikov, Alexei V., 2013. "Merger waves following industry deregulation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 51-76.
    10. Amrita Nain & Yan Wang, 2018. "The Product Market Impact of Minority Stake Acquisitions," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 64(2), pages 825-844, February.
    11. Martynova, Marina & Renneboog, Luc, 2008. "A century of corporate takeovers: What have we learned and where do we stand?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(10), pages 2148-2177, October.
    12. Dirk Hackbarth & Jianjun Miao, "undated". "The Timing and Returns of Mergers and Acquisitions in Oligopolistic Industries," Boston University - Department of Economics - Working Papers Series wp2008-022, Boston University - Department of Economics.
    13. Tunyi, Abongeh A., 2021. "Revisiting acquirer returns: Evidence from unanticipated deals," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    14. Oh, Seungjoon, 2018. "Fire-sale acquisitions and intra-industry contagion," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 265-293.
    15. Hackbarth, Dirk & Miao, Jianjun, 2012. "The dynamics of mergers and acquisitions in oligopolistic industries," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 585-609.
    16. Maquieira, Carlos P. & Megginson, William L. & Nail, Lance, 1998. "Wealth creation versus wealth redistributions in pure stock-for-stock mergers," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 3-33, April.
    17. Jason Karceski & Steven Ongena & David C. Smith, 2005. "The Impact of Bank Consolidation on Commercial Borrower Welfare," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(4), pages 2043-2082, August.
    18. Hammoudeh, Mosab & Nain, Amrita & Qian, Yiming, 2022. "The role of divestitures in horizontal mergers11We thank Jon Garfinkel, Jayant Kale, Kai Li, Gordon Philips, Anand Vijh, Thomas Wollmann, David Ravenscraft and participants at the 2016 American Financ," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    19. Martynova, M. & Renneboog, L.D.R., 2005. "Takeover Waves : Triggers, Performance and Motives," Discussion Paper 2005-029, Tilburg University, Tilburg Law and Economic Center.
    20. Mantecon, Tomas & Liu, Ian & Gao, Fei, 2012. "Empirical evidence of the value of monitoring in joint ownership," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 1045-1056.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mergers; Deregulation; Rivals; Efficiency; Collusion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jebusi:v:94:y:2017:i:c:p:15-31. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-economics-and-business .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.