Two major ways of acquiring corporate control are by public take-over bid or a minority buyout of a large block holder of shares. Although the latter is less visible, Cynthia Van Hulle and Piet Sercu explore the relative benefits of a private block trade in conditions both with and without a...

The authors argue that it is bargaining, not competition, which determines the way gains are distributed in take-over bids. Focusing on 'unfriendly' take-overs, where the target company's current management leaves, they show how bargaining and bidding interact to generate the take-over price and...