How Does Tobin’s Q Respond to Merger and Acquisition Announcements: Evidence of Listed Indian Firms

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the linkage between mergers and acquisition announcements and firm’s valuation taking into consideration Tobin’s q. Theoretical framework: The Q theory of investment propounded by James Tobin (1969) is suitable for the present study. According to this theory, there is a significant correlation between a company's market value and its rate of investment. Following this, indicators of the relative potential profitability of investments are the valuations that are placed in financial markets on the securities of companies as ratios to the costs of replacing their assets, which is denoted by q. Design/methodology/approach: The current investigation examines Tobin's q distribution for 140 listed firms on the Bombay Stock Exchange from 2011 to 2022. Tobin’s q is calculated for the financial service sector of the Indian economy. Findings: The results study suggests that Stock markets react significantly to the valuation of Indian firms due to M&A announcements in the category of non-banking financial companies. More specifically, 40 companies have a high Tobin’s q ratio in the full sample of firms. According to the findings, the majority of M&A announcements had no effect on the Tobin's q of the sampling companies. This indicates that the stocks of companies operating in the financial services sector are not affected by news of mergers and acquisitions. It demonstrates that the Indian capital market responded normally to information on mergers and acquisitions. Research, Practical & Social implications: The study helps financial analysts, top-level management, and stakeholders of a company to correctly evaluate the impact of mergers and acquisitions announcements on Tobin’s q of firms as a performance measurement metric. Originality/value: The value of the study can be evaluated from the fact that it investigates the relationship between mergers and acquisitions announcements and Tobin's q as a crucial parameter for corporate valuation, which is the first of its kind for emerging economies.