IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jmgtgv/v28y2024i2d10.1007_s10997-022-09665-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Blockholders and the ESG performance of M&A targets

Author

Listed:
  • Jonathan Taglialatela

    (Piazza Martiri Della Libertà 33
    Politecnico di Milano)

  • Roberto Barontini

    (Piazza Martiri Della Libertà 33)

  • Francesco Testa

    (Piazza Martiri Della Libertà 33)

  • Fabio Iraldo

    (Piazza Martiri Della Libertà 33)

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects that certain characteristics of blockholders have on the environmental and social performance of M&A target firms. First, adopting a counterfactual methodology on a large sample of listed companies, we show the existence of a positive impact of blockholders on target ESG performance. Then, we find that the ESG performance of the target firm does not differ depending on whether the blockholder is a financial or a strategic buyer. This contrasts the general wisdom that the aim of financial acquirors is to maximize short-term profit and so will likely overlook long-term sustainability projects. In addition, acquisitions that are followed by a decrease in leverage are linked to significantly higher ESG performance over the long-term. These results highlight the positive impact of blockholders’ equity investments on environmental and social practices—both strategic and financial. This novel empirical evidence should be valuable to policymakers who wish to define an institutional environment that can speed up sustainable transitions and for investors and managers evaluating M&A deals.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan Taglialatela & Roberto Barontini & Francesco Testa & Fabio Iraldo, 2024. "Blockholders and the ESG performance of M&A targets," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 28(2), pages 625-650, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jmgtgv:v:28:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s10997-022-09665-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10997-022-09665-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10997-022-09665-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10997-022-09665-2?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. Krishnamurti, Chandrasekhar & Shams, Syed & Pensiero, Domenico & Velayutham, Eswaran, 2019. "Socially responsible firms and mergers and acquisitions performance: Australian evidence," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    2. Chen, Tao & Dong, Hui & Lin, Chen, 2020. "Institutional shareholders and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(2), pages 483-504.
    3. Alvarez, Roberto & Jara, Mauricio & Pombo, Carlos, 2018. "Do institutional blockholders influence corporate investment? Evidence from emerging markets," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 38-64.
    4. Hao Liang & Luc Renneboog, 2017. "On the Foundations of Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(2), pages 853-910, April.
    5. Fama, Eugene F & Jensen, Michael C, 1983. "Separation of Ownership and Control," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(2), pages 301-325, June.
    6. Maria Baldini & Lorenzo Dal Maso & Giovanni Liberatore & Francesco Mazzi & Simone Terzani, 2018. "Role of Country- and Firm-Level Determinants in Environmental, Social, and Governance Disclosure," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(1), pages 79-98, June.
    7. Richard Blundell & Monica Costa Dias, 2009. "Alternative Approaches to Evaluation in Empirical Microeconomics," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 44(3).
    8. Mário Santos & António Moreira & Elisabete Vieira, 2014. "Ownership concentration, contestability, family firms, and capital structure," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 18(4), pages 1063-1107, November.
    9. Borghesi, Richard & Houston, Joel F. & Naranjo, Andy, 2014. "Corporate socially responsible investments: CEO altruism, reputation, and shareholder interests," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 164-181.
    10. Dyck, Alexander & Lins, Karl V. & Roth, Lukas & Wagner, Hannes F., 2019. "Do institutional investors drive corporate social responsibility? International evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(3), pages 693-714.
    11. Berger, Philip G & Ofek, Eli & Yermack, David L, 1997. "Managerial Entrenchment and Capital Structure Decisions," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(4), pages 1411-1438, September.
    12. Roland Bénabou & Jean Tirole, 2010. "Individual and Corporate Social Responsibility," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 77(305), pages 1-19, January.
    13. Miroshnychenko, Ivan & De Massis, Alfredo, 2022. "Sustainability practices of family and nonfamily firms: A worldwide study," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    14. Martos-Vila, Marc & Rhodes-Kropf, Matthew & Harford, Jarrad, 2019. "Financial versus Strategic Buyers," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 54(6), pages 2635-2661, December.
    15. Charles J Hadlock & Miriam Schwartz-Ziv, 2019. "Blockholder Heterogeneity, Multiple Blocks, and the Dance between Blockholders," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 32(11), pages 4196-4227.
    16. Ng, Anthony C. & Rezaee, Zabihollah, 2015. "Business sustainability performance and cost of equity capital," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 128-149.
    17. Greg Brown & Robert Harris & Shawn Munday, 2021. "Capital Structure and Leverage in Private Equity Buyouts," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 33(3), pages 42-58, September.
    18. Bae, Kee-Hong & Kang, Jun-Koo & Wang, Jin, 2011. "Employee treatment and firm leverage: A test of the stakeholder theory of capital structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(1), pages 130-153, April.
    19. Samuel Drempetic & Christian Klein & Bernhard Zwergel, 2020. "The Influence of Firm Size on the ESG Score: Corporate Sustainability Ratings Under Review," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 167(2), pages 333-360, November.
    20. Panagiotis Dimitropoulos & Konstantinos Koronios, 2021. "Corporate Environmental Responsibility, Accounting and Corporate Finance in the EU," CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance, Springer, number 978-3-030-72773-4, July-Dece.
    21. Karl V. Lins & Henri Servaes & Ane Tamayo, 2017. "Social Capital, Trust, and Firm Performance: The Value of Corporate Social Responsibility during the Financial Crisis," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(4), pages 1785-1824, August.
    22. Francesco Campanella & Luana Serino & Anna Crisci & Antonello D'Ambra, 2021. "The role of corporate governance in environmental policy disclosure and sustainable development. Generalized estimating equations in longitudinal count data analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(1), pages 474-484, January.
    23. Mara Faccio & Maria-Teresa Marchica & Roberto Mura, 2011. "Large Shareholder Diversification and Corporate Risk-Taking," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 24(11), pages 3601-3641.
    24. Gillan, Stuart L. & Koch, Andrew & Starks, Laura T., 2021. "Firms and social responsibility: A review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    25. Ayash, Brian, 2020. "The origin, ownership and use of cash flows in leveraged buyouts," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 286-295.
    26. Brian L. Connelly & Robert E. Hoskisson & Laszlo Tihanyi & S. Trevis Certo, 2010. "Ownership as a Form of Corporate Governance," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(8), pages 1561-1589, December.
    27. repec:bla:jomstd:v:47:y:2010:i:s2:p:1561-1589 is not listed on IDEAS
    28. Remmer Sassen & Anne-Kathrin Hinze & Inga Hardeck, 2016. "Impact of ESG factors on firm risk in Europe," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 86(8), pages 867-904, November.
    29. Chiarella, Carlo & Ostinelli, Diego, 2020. "Financial or strategic buyers: Who is at the gate?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 393-407.
    30. Alexander S. Gorbenko & Andrey Malenko, 2014. "Strategic and Financial Bidders in Takeover Auctions," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(6), pages 2513-2555, December.
    31. Ayash, Brian & Schütt, Harm, 2016. "Does going private add value through operating improvements?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 192-215.
    32. Panagiotis Dimitropoulos & Konstantinos Koronios, 2021. "Corporate Environmental Responsibility and Accounting Conservatism," CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance, in: Corporate Environmental Responsibility, Accounting and Corporate Finance in the EU, chapter 0, pages 235-252, Springer.
    33. Sven Fürth & Christian Rauch, 2015. "Fare Thee Well? An Analysis of Buyout Funds’ Exit Strategies," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 44(4), pages 811-849, October.
    34. Caroline Flammer, 2015. "Does Corporate Social Responsibility Lead to Superior Financial Performance? A Regression Discontinuity Approach," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(11), pages 2549-2568, November.
    35. Simon Segal & James Guthrie & Johannes Dumay, 2021. "Stakeholder and merger and acquisition research: a structured literature review," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(2), pages 2935-2964, June.
    36. María del Mar Miras-Rodríguez & Roberto Di Pietra, 2018. "Corporate Governance mechanisms as drivers that enhance the credibility and usefulness of CSR disclosure," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 22(3), pages 565-588, September.
    37. Sérgio Kannebley & Júlia Sekkel & Bruno Araújo, 2010. "Economic performance of Brazilian manufacturing firms: a counterfactual analysis of innovation impacts," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 339-353, April.
    38. Beat Reber & Agnes Gold & Stefan Gold, 2022. "ESG Disclosure and Idiosyncratic Risk in Initial Public Offerings," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(3), pages 867-886, September.
    39. Panagiotis Dimitropoulos & Konstantinos Koronios, 2021. "Introduction to Corporate Environmental Responsibility, Accounting and Finance," CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance, in: Corporate Environmental Responsibility, Accounting and Corporate Finance in the EU, chapter 0, pages 1-16, Springer.
    40. Erich Battistin & Paolo Bortoluzzi & Fabio Buttignon & Marco Vedovato, 2017. "Minority and majority private equity investments: firm performance and governance," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 21(3), pages 659-684, September.
    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. Hans B. Christensen & Luzi Hail & Christian Leuz, 2021. "Mandatory CSR and sustainability reporting: economic analysis and literature review," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 1176-1248, September.
    2. Gillan, Stuart L. & Koch, Andrew & Starks, Laura T., 2021. "Firms and social responsibility: A review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    3. Liu, Xianda & Hou, Wenxuan & Main, Brian G.M., 2022. "Anti-market sentiment and corporate social responsibility: Evidence from anti-Jewish pogroms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    4. Wang, Ye & Liu, Xufeng & Wan, Die, 2023. "Stock market openness and ESG performance: Evidence from Shanghai-Hong Kong connect program," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 1306-1319.
    5. Fiordelisi, Franco & Ricci, Ornella & Santilli, Gianluca, 2023. "Environmental engagement and stock price crash risk: Evidence from the European banking industry," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    6. Chen, Kan-Xiang & Erzurumlu, Yaman Omer & Gozgor, Giray & Lau, Chi Keung Marco & Turkkan, Melis, 2024. "The impact of economic uncertainty on corporate ESG performance: Global evidence," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(PB).
    7. Qian, Shuitu & Yu, Wenzhe, 2024. "Green finance and environmental, social, and governance performance," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PA), pages 1185-1202.
    8. Alves, Carlos Francisco & Meneses, Lilian Lima, 2024. "ESG scores and debt costs: Exploring indebtedness, agency costs, and financial system impact," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    9. Li, Chengcheng & Wang, Xiaoqiong, 2022. "Local peer effects of corporate social responsibility," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    10. Dai, Rui & Liang, Hao & Ng, Lilian, 2021. "Socially responsible corporate customers," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 598-626.
    11. Cai, Xiangshang & Gao, Ning & Garrett, Ian & Xu, Yan, 2020. "Are CEOs judged on their companies' social reputation?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    12. Ann Susan Thomas & Ambili Jayachandran & Ajithakumari Vijayappan Nair Biju, 2024. "Strategic mapping of the environmental social governance landscape in finance – A bibliometric exploration through concepts and themes," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4428-4453, September.
    13. Dongmin Kong & Jia Liu & Yanan Wang & Ling Zhu, 2024. "Employee Stock Ownership Plans and Corporate Environmental Engagement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 189(1), pages 177-199, January.
    14. D'Souza, Reagan & Ho, Choy Yeing (Chloe) & Yang, Joey W., 2024. "The cost of corporate social irresponsibility for acquirers," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    15. Choi, Changhwan & Chung, Chune Young, 2024. "The effect of shale gas booms on environmental CSR activity," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PB).
    16. Shackleton, Mark & Yan, Jiali & Yao, Yaqiong, 2022. "What drives a firm's ES performance? Evidence from stock returns," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    17. Ameen Qasem & Shaker Dahan AL-Duais & Wan Nordin Wan-Hussin & Hasan Mohamad Bamahros & Abdulsalam Alquhaif & Murad Thomran, 2022. "Institutional Ownership Types and ESG Reporting: The Case of Saudi Listed Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-23, September.
    18. Yoshida, Kenichi & Iino, Yoshiaki & Managi, Shunsuke, 2022. "Do Japanese keiretsu promote better CSR activities?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 452-475.
    19. Benjamin Lynch & Martha O'Hagan‐Luff, 2024. "Relative corporate social performance and cost of equity capital: International evidence," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 2882-2910, July.
    20. Lin, Xiaowei & Li, Ao & Xu, Yonghao & Ding, Zijun, 2023. "Does internal whistleblowing build more socially responsible firms？," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 197-214.

    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:kap:jmgtgv:v:28:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s10997-022-09665-2. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.