The Competitive Effect of a Bank Megamerger on Credit Supply
37 Pages Posted: 2 May 2016 Last revised: 8 Jun 2018
Date Written: April 1, 2017
Abstract
We study the effect of a merger between two large banks on credit market competition. We identify the competitive effect of the merger using matched loan-level and firm-level data and exploiting variation in the merging banks' market overlap across local lending markets. On the credit market side, we find a reduction in lending, in particular through termination of relationships. In the average market, bank credit decreases by 2.7%. On the real side, firm exit increases by 4%, whereas firms that do not exit and firms that start up experience no adverse real effect on investment and employment.
Keywords: Bank megamerger; Banking competition; Credit Supply; Merger
JEL Classification: G21; L13
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation