Political Uncertainty and Firm Investment: Project-Level Evidence from M&A Activity

52 Pages Posted: 11 Jul 2016 Last revised: 23 Aug 2022

See all articles by Zhenhua Chen

Zhenhua Chen

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge - Department of Accounting

Mehmet Cihan

University of Connecticut

Candace Jens

Syracuse University - Whitman School of Management

T. Beau Page

Government of the United States of America - Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)

Date Written: August 24, 2018

Abstract

We use M&A deal-level data and gubernatorial elections in a difference-in-difference framework to ask whether political uncertainty alters investment decisions by affecting firms or projects. We find approximately 4% fewer acquirer announcements in election states and that acquirers select approximately 5% fewer targets from election states, suggesting political uncertainty affects investment through both fi rm and project channels. Smaller deals and deals by fi nancially constrained firms are most susceptible through the project channel. Establishment of the project channel is important because it is evidence of the costs of political uncertainty crossing state borders, which matters for the management of these costs.

Keywords: investment, political uncertainty, gubernatorial elections, mergers and acquisitions

JEL Classification: G34, G38, H70

Suggested Citation

Chen, Zhenhua and Cihan, Mehmet and Jens, Candace and Page, Beau, Political Uncertainty and Firm Investment: Project-Level Evidence from M&A Activity (August 24, 2018). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2807242 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2807242

Zhenhua Chen

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge - Department of Accounting ( email )

E.J. Ourso College of Business Administration
2800 Business Education Complex
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
United States

Mehmet Cihan

University of Connecticut ( email )

Storrs, CT 06269-1063
United States

Candace Jens (Contact Author)

Syracuse University - Whitman School of Management ( email )

721 University Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2130
United States

Beau Page

Government of the United States of America - Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) ( email )

400 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20219
United States

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