Mergers and Acquisitions During a Downturn: a Study on the Determinants of Successful Acquisitions During a Downturn

This paper investigates on the performance of Mergers and Acquisitions during an economic downturn using a mixed methodology: event study and accounting. It also tries to isolate the determinants of a successful acquisition during those troubled times. We found a positive relation between the amount of deal completed and the value created using event study methodology. Furthermore, deals completed by underperforming companies show superior Abnormal Returns. At last, we found that companies with high EBIT valuation multiples tend to complete more disposals during a downturn.