CHAPTER 21—MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
30. Which of the following statements is most CORRECT?
Tax considerations often play a part in mergers. If one firm has excess cash, purchasing another firm exposes
the purchasing firm to additional taxes. Thus, firms with excess cash rarely undertake mergers.
The smaller the synergistic benefits of a particular merger, the greater the scope for striking a bargain in
negotiations, and the higher the probability that the merger will be completed.
Since mergers are frequently financed by debt rather than equity, a lower cost of debt or a greater debt
capacity are rarely relevant considerations when considering a merger.
Managers who purchase other firms often assert that the new combined firm will enjoy benefits from
diversification, including more stable earnings. However, since shareholders are free to diversify their own
holdings, and at what’s probably a lower cost, research of U.S. firms suggests that in most cases,
diversification through mergers does not increase the firm’s value.
Research of U.S. firms suggests that managers’ personal motivations have had little, if any, impact on firms’
decisions to merge.
FOFM.BRIG.16.21.01 – Rationale for Mergers
United States – BUSPROG.FOFM.BRIG.16.03 – Analytic skills
United States – OH – DISC.FOFM.BRIG.16.15 – Mergers and acquisitions
Multiple Choice: Conceptual
31. Which of the following statements is most CORRECT?
The high value of the U.S. dollar relative to Japanese and European currencies in the 1980s, made U.S.
companies comparatively inexpensive to foreign buyers, spurring many mergers.
During the 1980s, the Reagan and Bush administrations tried to foster greater competition and they were
adamant about preventing the loss of competition; thus, most large mergers were disallowed.
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