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Antitrust Analysis with Upward Pricing Pressure and Cost Efficiencies

Author

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  • Jessica Dutra

    (Department of Economics, The University of Kansas)

  • Tarun Sabarwal

    (Department of Economics, University of Kansas)

Abstract

We investigate the accuracy of UPP as a tool in antitrust analysis when there are cost efficiencies from a horizontal merger. We include model-based, merger-specific cost efficiencies in a tractable manner and extend the standard UPP formulation to account for these efficiencies. The efficacy of the new UPP formulations is analyzed using Monte Carlo simulation of 40,000 mergers (8 scenarios, 5,000 mergers in each scenario). We find that the new UPP formulations yield substantial gains in prediction of post-merger prices, and there are substantial gains in merger screening accuracy as well. Moreover, the new UPP formulations outperform the standard UPP formulation at higher thresholds for all the standard cases in the paper. The results support the inclusion of model-based cost efficiencies in the standard UPP formulation for more accurate antitrust decision-making.

Suggested Citation

  • Jessica Dutra & Tarun Sabarwal, 2019. "Antitrust Analysis with Upward Pricing Pressure and Cost Efficiencies," WORKING PAPERS SERIES IN THEORETICAL AND APPLIED ECONOMICS 201907, University of Kansas, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:kan:wpaper:201907
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    Cited by:

    1. Cosnita-Langlais, Andreea & Johansen, Bjørn Olav & Sørgard, Lars, 2021. "Upward pricing pressure in two-sided markets: Incorporating rebalancing effects," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    2. Andreea Cosnita-Langlais & Bjørn Olav Johansen & Lars Sorgard, 2018. "Upward Price Pressure in Two-Sided Markets: Incorporating Feedback Effects," Working Papers hal-04141797, HAL.
    3. Paul S. Koh, 2024. "Merger Analysis with Latent Price," Papers 2404.07684, arXiv.org, revised Jul 2024.
    4. Nathan H. Miller & Gloria Sheu, 2021. "Quantitative Methods for Evaluating the Unilateral Effects of Mergers," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 58(1), pages 143-177, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    upward pricing pressure; merger efficiency; monte carlo; UPP; mergers; antitrust; unilateral effects; cost efficiencies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K21 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Antitrust Law
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

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