This study examines the impact of asset sale proceeds on the method of payment used in subsequent acquisitions, along with their value effect. In line with increased liquidity offered by asset sales, firms that sell assets are more likely to subsequently conduct cash acquisitions. Additionally,...

We examine the characteristics of the sixth merger wave that started in 2003 and came to an end approximately in late-2007. The drivers of this wave lie primarily in the availability of abundant liquidity, in line with neoclassical explanations of merger waves. Acquirers were less overvalued...

We provide new evidence on the role of financial advisors in M&As. Contrary to prior studies, top-tier advisors deliver higher bidder returns than their non-top-tier counterparts but in public acquisitions only, where the advisor reputational exposure and required skills set are relatively...

This paper examines the relationship between asymmetric information and target returns in M&As. We argue that if managers possess favorable (unfavorable) asymmetric information, they will offer, ceteris paribus, high (low) premia, affecting target returns accordingly. We propose several proxies...

This paper establishes that credit ratings affect the choice of payment method in mergers and acquisitions. We find that bidders holding a high rating level are more likely to use cash financing in a takeover. We attribute this finding to lower financial constraints and enhanced capability of...