Can Acquisition Failure Be Predicted?
Publication Date
2-25-2018
Abstract
We examine whether realized value destruction is predicted by the market at acquisition announcement. To identify acquisition failure, we manually construct a sample of transactions with large goodwill write-downs. We find announcement returns fail to forecast the probability and magnitude of future write-downs. Prediction improves for large, public target, and large acquirer transactions, but errors remain large. Announcement returns also do not capture other ex-post symptoms of failure – poor stock and operating performance, distressed delisting, and CEO turnover. Our evidence suggests that acquisition value destruction may be largely triggered by latent factors that are unknown to the market at announcement.
Document Type
Article
Keywords
Mergers, Acquisitions, Value Destruction, Acquisition Failure, Acquirer Abnormal Return, Overpayment, Goodwill, Impairment
Disciplines
Finance
DOI
10.2139/ssrn.3128481
Source
SMU Cox: Finance (Topic)
Language
English
