Busted! Now What? Effects of Cartel Enforcement on Firm Value and Corporate Policies
67 Pages Posted: 6 Sep 2016
There are 2 versions of this paper
The Effects of Global Leniency Programs on Margins and Mergers
Date Written: August 2016
Abstract
In a cross-country study we look at the staggered passage of national leniency laws over 1990-2012. We show that these laws lead to more convictions of cartels, and generally increase the costs of collusion by reducing the average gross margins of the affected firms. We further examine how changing costs of collusion shape firm boundaries and show that firms reorganize their activities by engaging in more horizontal acquisitions, both in the roles as the acquirer and the target. These acquisitions tend to be associated with higher announcement returns. We find little evidence of the increase in strategic alliances or greenfield investments.
Keywords: cartels, Collusion, firm boundaries, leniency laws, M&A
JEL Classification: D22, D43, G34, G38
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation