We provide evidence that large termination fees mitigate contracting problems in acquisitions of targets with high information asymmetry. Large fees are more common if targets face financial constraints or distress. Deals with large termination fees are more likely to attract a competing bid,...

This study examines how Specified Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) have been used as a financing tool for the shipping industry in period 2004-2013. SPACs that focused on acquisitions in the shipping industry statistically have similar characteristics as the population of SPACs that entered...

Prior research finds that firms hire directors for their acquisition experience, regardless of acquisition quality (whether their prior acquisitions earned positive or negative announcement returns). Using several short- and long-run measures, we examine the effects of directors' acquisition...

We present evidence that some firms pursue mergers with an objective of acquiring and retaining the target firm's employees. Acquirers wishing to obtain employees via an acquisition will likely pursue firms with an important set of skilled employees who are difficult to obtain elsewhere and may...