Premium
Do Firms Strategically Internalize Disclosure Spillovers? Evidence from Cash‐Financed M&As
Author(s) -
KIM JINHWAN,
VERDI RODRIGO S.,
YOST BENJAMIN P.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of accounting research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.767
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1475-679X
pISSN - 0021-8456
DOI - 10.1111/1475-679x.12337
Subject(s) - business , monetary economics , spillover effect , cash , stock price , stock (firearms) , negotiation , cash flow , accounting , economics , finance , microeconomics , mechanical engineering , paleontology , series (stratigraphy) , political science , law , engineering , biology
We investigate whether managers internalize the spillover effects of their disclosure on the stock price of related firms and strategically alter their disclosure decisions when doing so is beneficial. Using data on firm‐initiated disclosures during all‐cash acquisitions, we find evidence consistent with acquirers strategically generating news that they expect will depress the target's stock price. Our results suggest the disclosure strategy leads to lower target returns during the negotiation period when the takeover price is being determined and results in a lower target premium. These findings are robust to a battery of specifications and falsification tests. Our results are consistent with expected spillovers influencing the timing and content of firms’ disclosures in M&A transactions.