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Upstream horizontal mergers involving a vertically integrated firm

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  • Ioannis N. Pinopoulos

    (University of Macedonia)

Abstract

We study upstream horizontal mergers when one of the merging parties is vertically integrated. Under observable contracting in the pre-merger case, we show that such type of mergers always harm consumers. However, under unobservable contracting in the pre-merger case, the input price may decrease and consumer surplus may increase as a result of the merger even in the absence of exogenous cost-synergies between merging firms. A necessary condition for this finding is that the unintegrated downstream firm is more cost-efficient than the downstream division of the integrated firm.

Suggested Citation

  • Ioannis N. Pinopoulos, 2020. "Upstream horizontal mergers involving a vertically integrated firm," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 130(1), pages 67-83, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jeczfn:v:130:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s00712-019-00677-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s00712-019-00677-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Margarida Catalão-Lopes & Duarte Brito, 2021. "Post-merger internal organization in multitier decentralized supply chains," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 132(3), pages 251-289, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Vertical relations; Horizontal mergers; Vertically integrated firm; Consumer surplus;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices
    • L42 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Vertical Restraints; Resale Price Maintenance; Quantity Discounts

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