Learn About Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) "Of all the strategic planning and decision-making a corporation undertakes, a merger or acquisition of another company is one of the most important and complex (Schniederjans and Fowler, 1989)."

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)

Concept Overview

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Definition

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) refers to the buying, selling, dividing and combining of companies. The distinction between a 'merger' and an 'acquisition' has become less important in recent years, but one firm becoming part of another - such that, post-deal, the target firm disappears as a legal entity - is an acquisition. Two firms joining to create a new legal entity is a merger. M&A remains one of the fastest means to corporate restructuring and expansion (DePamphilis, 2009).

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Description *

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Business Evidence

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Business Application

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Professional Tools

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Further Reading

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Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) References (4 of up to 20) *

  • Angwin, D.A. (Ed.) (2007) Images of Mergers and Acquisitions. Blackwell.
  • Brealey, R.A. and Myers, S.C. (1996) Principles of Corporate Finance. McGraw Hill. International Edition.
  • Clark, D. (1996) 'Software Firm Fights to Remake Business after Ill-Fated Merger', Wall Street Journal, January 12, 1996, p.A1.
  • Franks, J.R., Harris, R.S. and Titman, S. (1991) 'The Postmerger Share-Price Performance of Acquiring Firms'. Journal of Financial Economics, 29:81-96, March.

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