Using a hand-collected sample of 1,246 failed acquisition offers from 1979 to 2016, we investigate whether acquisition premiums are driven by the market’s revaluation of the target (the information hypothesis) or potential synergies (the synergy hypothesis). Partitioning the sample into...

In merger agreements, the seller makes contractual representations and warranties (“reps”) about the state of the target, e.g., attesting to the accuracy of the target’s financial statements. We obtain a proprietary sample of claims for breaches of the reps in acquisition agreements...