How Much Does Your Banker’s Target-Specific Experience Matter? Evidence from Target IPO Underwriters that Advise Acquirers

Abstract

In a sample of 1,507 US all-public acquisitions from 1985–2014, 5% of acquirers use the same advisor that underwrote the target’s initial public offering. Acquirers who use these informed advisors have acquisition announcement three-day cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) that are 2.048 percentage points higher, all else equal. Same-advisor acquisition announcements have higher combined CARs but not lower target CARs, suggesting higher synergies instead of lower deal premia. Same-advisor acquisition announcement outperformance decays as the target ages and grows. These findings show the value and timeliness of investment bank information production, retention, and transfer.