It is an established fact that investors favor the familiar%u2014be it domestic securities or, within a country, the securities of nearby firms%u2014and avoid investments that would provide the greatest diversification benefits. While we do not rule out familiarity as an important driver of portfolio allocations, we provide new evidence of investors%u2019 international diversification motive. In particular, our analysis of the security-level U.S. equity holdings of foreign and domestic institutional investors indicates that institutional investors reveal a preference for domestic multinationals (MNCs), even after controlling for familiarity factors. We attribute this revealed preference to the desire to obtain %u201Csafe%u201D international diversification. We then show that holdings of domestic MNCs are substantial and, after accounting for this home-grown foreign exposure, that the share of %u201Cforeign%u201D equities in investors%u2019 portfolios roughly doubles, reducing (but not eliminating) the observed home bias.

Inhaltsangabe:Abstract: Over the last decade product and factor markets have continued to become more integrated, new markets have emerged and the globalization has become an important strategic issue for companies. As a result, international investment opportunities have in-creased while regulatory restrictions on capital markets have been eased and the market for corporate control has become more integrated. Consequently, the international acquisition activity has increased in both absolute and relative terms over the last decades leading to a significant rise of the proportion of international to domestic merger activity, particularly at the end of the 1990s. As more and more companies consider international diversification as a strategic option for their further growth, the question arises which valuation consequences accompany cross-border acquisitions. Furthermore, it is to be analyzed whether these consequences differ systematically from domestic acquisitions and what could be possible value drivers in these cases. Although mergers and acquisitions in general have received wide attention in academic research, studies concerning the wealth effects of cross-border acquisitions are limited. Moreover, existing empirical evidence primarily stems from the US and UK capital markets neglecting generally the European perspective. Spain, Europe s fifth largest economy, has seen a series of considerable cross-border acquisitions in the last decade culminating in the merger of Santander with Abbey National in 2004 for over USD 15bn, making it the tenth largest transaction worldwide in 2004.3 The Spanish M&A market boom of the 1990s was initially driven by a consolidation process in the financial services, utilities and telecoms sectors which mostly were formerly state-owned. As a consequence of the increasing market concentration Spanish companies expanded internationally, creating some of the biggest corporations world-wide and becoming South America s largest foreign investor. These recent developments and the high acquisition activity from Spain into other countries make it worthwhile to shed light on the valuation consequences and their possible explanations by an empirical analysis. Considering the aforementioned, it is the aim of this thesis to answer the question as to whether the foreign acquisition wave of the last decade in Spain really created value and therewith supports the strategic decisions of the management. The analysis should [...]

For many Americans, capitalism is a dynamic engine of prosperity that rewards the bold, the daring, and the hardworking. But to many outside the United States, capitalism seems like an initiative that serves only to concentrate power and wealth in the hands of a few hereditary oligarchies. As A History of Corporate Governance around the World shows, neither conception is wrong. In this volume, some of the brightest minds in the field of economics present new empirical research that suggests that each side of the debate has something to offer the other. Free enterprise and well-developed financial systems are proven to produce growth in those countries that have them. But research also suggests that in some other capitalist countries, arrangements truly do concentrate corporate ownership in the hands of a few wealthy families. A History of Corporate Governance around the World provides historical studies of the patterns of corporate governance in several countries-including the large industrial economies of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States; larger developing economies like China and India; and alternative models like those of the Netherlands and Sweden.

An in-depth look at the trouble with shareholder value thinking and at better options for models of corporate purpose. Executives, investors, and the business press routinely chant the mantra that corporations are required to “maximize shareholder value.” In this pathbreaking book, renowned corporate expert Lynn Stout debunks the myth that corporate law mandates shareholder primacy. Stout shows how shareholder value thinking endangers not only investors but the rest of us as well, leading managers to focus myopically on short-term earnings; discouraging investment and innovation; harming employees, customers, and communities; and causing companies to indulge in reckless, sociopathic, and irresponsible behaviors. And she looks at new models of corporate purpose that better serve the needs of investors, corporations, and society. “A must-read for managers, directors, and policymakers interested in getting America back in the business of creating real value for the long term.” —Constance E. Bagley, professor, Yale School of Management; president, Academy of Legal Studies in Business; and author of Managers and the Legal Environment and Winning Legally “A compelling call for radically changing the way business is done... The Shareholder Value Myth powerfully demonstrates both the dangers of the shareholder value rule and the falseness of its alleged legal necessity.” —Joel Bakan, professor, The University of British Columbia, and author of the book and film The Corporation “Lynn Stout has a keen mind, a sharp pen, and an unbending sense of fearlessness. Her book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the root causes of the current financial calamity.” —Jack Willoughby, senior editor, Barron’s “Lynn Stout offers a new vision of good corporate governance that serves investors, firms, and the American economy.” —Judy Samuelson, executive director, Business and Society Program, The Aspen Institute

Examines various issues concerning the strategies of institutional investors, the role of institutional investors in corporate governance, their impact on local and international capital markets, as well as the emergence of sovereign and other asset management funds and their interactions with micro and macro economic and market environments.

Advances in International Accounting is a refereed, academic research annual, that is devoted to publishing articles about advancements in the development of accounting and its related disciplines from an international perspective. This serial examines how these developments affect the financial reporting and disclosure practices, taxation, management accounting practices, and auditing of multinational corporations, as well as their effect on the education of professional accountants worldwide. Advances in International Accounting welcomes traditional and alternative approaches, including theoretical research, empirical research, applied research, and cross-cultural studies.*Adopts an international perspective while addressing unique accounting issues*Peer-reviewed and credible contributions make this a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, and students

Since their explosion in the mid-1990s, mergers and acquisitions (M&As) have turned into a global phenomenon with growing prevalence. A large number of theoretical and empirical studies focus on cross-border deals from several perspectives, such as motives, strategic issues, and performance. Most books treat these studies as specific characteristics of M&As, paying little attention to the distinctive elements that differentiate them from domestic operations. In short, there is now a real need for a fresh review and categorization of cross-border deals. Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions is the first book to provide readers with a complete guide to understanding the main concepts, theories, and results driving cross-border M&As. Morresi and Pezzi present an original framework that ties together the growing body of theoretical and empirical studies on the topic. This work describes the relevance of the phenomenon in terms of its economical, geographical, and historical impact, and analyzes the market- and accounting-based performance of cross-border deals.