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Conference calls around merger and acquisition announcements: Do they reduce information asymmetry? UK Evidence

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  • Siougle, Georgia
  • Spyrou, Spyros I.
  • Tsekrekos, Andrianos E.

Abstract

This paper examines conference call meetings held around merger and acquisition (M&A) announcements in the UK market. Our main findings indicate that conference calls not only facilitate the smoother transmission of M&A-related information in the stock market and smooth the rate of the information flow to the market, but also they reduce informed trading through option markets before M&A events. We also find that there is an inverse relation of analysts’ forecast error and conference call probability, that firms initiate conference calls during M&As when their transactions are large and are facing liquidity constraints, and that the probability of a firm holding a conference call around an M&A is strongly and inversely related to the existence of traded equity options on its stock.

Suggested Citation

  • Siougle, Georgia & Spyrou, Spyros I. & Tsekrekos, Andrianos E., 2014. "Conference calls around merger and acquisition announcements: Do they reduce information asymmetry? UK Evidence," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 148-172.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:30:y:2014:i:c:p:148-172
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2013.07.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Galanti, Sébastien, 2016. "Archival data of financial analysts' earnings forecasts in the euro zone: Problems with euro conversions," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 466-473.
    2. Roncagliolo, Elisa & Avallone, Francesco, 2022. "Recognition of provisional goodwill: Real need or communication strategy?," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    3. Chronopoulos, Panagiotis I. & Siougle, Georgia, 2018. "Examination of the information content of management range forecasts," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 201-210.
    4. Mittal, Amit & Garg, Ajay Kumar, 2017. "Why do acquirers prefer M&A? Evidence from Banks in India," MPRA Paper 85354, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mergers and acquisitions; Conference calls; Asymmetric information; Option markets; Corporate governance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G1 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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