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Industry expertise, information leakage, and the choice of M&A advisors

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Repository DOI


Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Chang, X 
Shekhar, C 
Tam, LHK 
Yao, J 

Abstract

This paper examines the impacts of M&A advisors’ industry expertise on firms’ choice of advisors in mergers and acquisitions. We show that an investment bank's expertise in merger parties’ industries increases its likelihood of being chosen as an advisor, especially when the acquisition is more complex, and when a firm in M&A has less information about the merger counterparty. However, due to the concerns about information leakage to industry rivals through M&A advisors, acquirers are reluctant to share advisors with rival firms in the same industry, and they are more likely to switch to new advisors if their former advisors have advisory relationship with their industry rivals. In addition, we document that advisors with more industry expertise earn higher advisory fees and increase the likelihood of deal completion.

Description

Keywords

G24, G34, L11, investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, advisory fees, advisory services, industry expertise

Journal Title

Journal of Business Finance and Accounting

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1468-5957
1468-5957

Volume Title

43

Publisher

Wiley
Sponsorship
Chang acknowledges financial support from Rega Capital Management Limited and Academic Research Fund Tier 1 provided by Ministry of Education (Singapore). Shekhar acknowledgesfunding provided under the Faculty Research Grant scheme of the Faculty of Economics and Commerce, the University of Melbourne. Tam acknowledges research funding (MYRG074(Y1-L2)-FBA11-THK) provided by University of Macau.