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Taxes and the Location of Targets

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  • Arulampalam, Wiji
  • Devereux, Michael P.
  • Liberini, Federica

Abstract

We use firm-level data to investigate the impact of taxes on the international location of targets in M&A allowing for heterogeneous responses by companies. The statutory tax rate in the target country is found to have a negative impact on the probability of an acquisition in that country. In addition, the estimated size of the effect is found to depend on whether (i) acquirer is a domestic or a multinational enterprise; (ii) the acquisition is domestic or cross-border; and (iii) the acquirer’s country has a worldwide or territorial tax system.

Suggested Citation

  • Arulampalam, Wiji & Devereux, Michael P. & Liberini, Federica, 2017. "Taxes and the Location of Targets," Economic Research Papers 269311, University of Warwick - Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uwarer:269311
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.269311
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    Cited by:

    1. Devereux, Michael P., 2012. "Issues in the Design of Taxes on Corporate Profit," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 65(3), pages 709-730, September.
    2. Bradley, Sebastien & Carril-Caccia, Federico & Yotov, Yoto, 2023. "Reassessing the Effects of Corporate Income Taxes on Mergers and Acquisitions Using Empirical Advances in the Gravity Literature," School of Economics Working Paper Series 2023-8, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University.
    3. Todtenhaupt, Maximilian & Voget, Johannes & Feld, Lars P. & Ruf, Martin & Schreiber, Ulrich, 2020. "Taxing away M&A: Capital gains taxation and acquisition activity," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    4. Maximilian Todtenhaupt & Johannes Voget, 2021. "International Taxation and Productivity Effects of M&As," CESifo Working Paper Series 8967, CESifo.
    5. Amendolagine, Vito & Bruno, Randolph Luca & Cipollina, Maria & De Pascale, Gianluigi, 2023. "Minimum Global Tax: Winners and Losers in the Race for Mergers and Acquisitions," IZA Discussion Papers 16144, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Lars P. Feld & Martin Ruf & Uwe Scheuering & Ulrich Schreiber & Johannes Voget, 2013. "Effects of Territorial and Worldwide Corporation Tax Systems on Outbound M&As," CESifo Working Paper Series 4455, CESifo.
    7. Harry Grubert & Rosanne Altshuler, 2013. "Fixing the System: An Analysis of Alternative Proposals for the Reform of International Tax," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 66(3), pages 671-712, September.
    8. Feld, Lars P. & Ruf, Martin & Scheuering, Uwe & Schreiber, Ulrich & Voget, Johannes, 2016. "Repatriation taxes and outbound M&As," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 13-27.
    9. Simon Behrendt & Georg Wamser, 2018. "Tax-Response Heterogeneity and the Effects of Double Taxation Treaties on the Location Choices of Multinational Firms," CESifo Working Paper Series 6869, CESifo.
    10. Todtenhaupt, Maximilian & Voget, Johannes, 2021. "International taxation and productivity effects of M&As," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    11. Maria Borga & Perla Ibarlucea Flores & Monika Sztajerowska, 2020. "Drivers of divestment decisions of multinational enterprises - A cross-country firm-level perspective," OECD Working Papers on International Investment 2019/03, OECD Publishing.
    12. Bradley, Sebastien & Robinson, Leslie & Ruf, Martin, 2021. "The impact of IP box regimes on the M&A market," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2).
    13. Priyaranjan Jha & Rahul Mukherjee, 2023. "Global Taxation and National Welfare States," CESifo Working Paper Series 10522, CESifo.
    14. Ahsan, Faisal Mohammad & Popli, Manish & Kumar, Vikas, 2024. "Formal institutions and cross-border mergers and acquisitions: A systematic literature review and research agenda," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(5).
    15. Axel Prettl & Dominik Hagen, 2023. "Multinational ownership patterns and anti-tax avoidance legislation," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(3), pages 565-634, June.
    16. Col, Burcin & Errunza, Vihang, 2022. "Havenly acquisitions," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    17. Haichao Fan & Yu Liu & Suhua Tian & Xuan Wang, 2023. "Firm outward direct investment and multinational activity under domestic taxes," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 61(3), pages 605-628, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial Economics;

    JEL classification:

    • C25 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions; Probabilities
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm

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