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What can merger retrospectives tell us?An assessment of European mergers

Author

Listed:
  • Franco Mariuzzo

    (Centre for Competition Policy and School of Economics, University of East Anglia)

  • Peter Ormosi

    (Centre for Competition Policy and Norwich Business School, University of East Anglia)

  • Richard Havell

    (Charles River Associates)

Abstract

In this review of retrospective European merger studies we provide a discussion of the price effect of analysed mergers and examine whether the antitrust agency made the right decisions. We find that remedied mergers, on average, were not followed by a price-increase, suggesting that, in our sample, merger interventions were effective at eliminating problems. High market concentration was more likely to lead to higher post-merger prices, although remedies were able to reduce post-merger price-increases, even in concentrated markets. We look at a number of reasons why prices may increase post-merger and find little evidence of genuine agency errors.

Suggested Citation

  • Franco Mariuzzo & Peter Ormosi & Richard Havell, 2016. "What can merger retrospectives tell us?An assessment of European mergers," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) 2016-04, Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
  • Handle: RePEc:uea:ueaccp:2016_04
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Stöhr, Annika, 2021. "Price effects of horizontal mergers: A retrospective on retrospectives," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 151, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
    2. Franco Mariuzzo & Peter L. Ormosi, 2019. "Post-merger Price Dynamics Matters, So Why Do Merger Retrospectives Ignore It?," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 55(3), pages 403-429, November.
    3. Norbert Maier & Julie Runge Jørgensen & Asger Lunde & Otto Toivanen, 2021. "Ex-post Analysis of the TeliaSonera-Chess 2005 Merger," De Economist, Springer, vol. 169(2), pages 141-178, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    mergers; merger retrospectives; ex-post evaluation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K21 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Antitrust Law
    • L40 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - General
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms

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