Miami University FIN 461 Exam 2025
Why does M&A tend to occur in waves? - -(1) Strong correlation between S&P
performance and the amount of M&A activity.
(2) Companies can use their stock to make acquisitions when their stock price is high.
4 Factors that contribute to M&A waves - -(1) Liquidity; most recent factor in M&A wave
(2) Disruptive Technology; 1990's
(3) Regulation/Deregulation; 1980's
(4) 'Shocks'; oil prices
Motives for why firms engage in M&A transactions - -(1) Synergies
(2) Diversification
Horizontal Integration - -driven by economies of scale & scope
Vertical Integration - -motive is greater control over production and distribution
Backward Integration (Vertical Integration) - -upstream; raw material supplies,
manufacturing/production
Forward Integration (Vertical Integration) - -downstream; distribution, end user
Conglomeration - -driven by desire to diversify
Who wins in an M&A transaction? - -the target firm
Who loses in an M&A transaction? - -the acquiring firm
What factors DO matter in creating value for the acquirer? - -(1) Financing structure
(2) Target company status
(3) Earnings growth
(4) Foreign vs domestic acquisitions
What factors DO NOT matter in creating value for the acquirer? - -(1) EPS impact
(2) Transaction size
(3) Profitability & volatility
(4) Credit rating impact
(5) Industry
The functions performed by investment banks - -(1) M&A advisory
(2) Underwriting
(3) Sales & Trading
(4) Research
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(5) Syndicate
How do investment banks get paid for their work? - -different fees for advising and
providing fairness opinion
The role played by investment banks in M&A transactions - -(1) Identify strategic
alternatives
(2) Value maximization
(3) Speed of execution
(4) Certainty of completion
League tables - -list of investment banks that ranks them in terms of fees generated
Porter's Competitive Forces Model - -(1) Rivalry among existing competitors
(2) Threat of new entrants
(3) Bargaining power of buyers
(4) Threat of substitute products or services
(5) Bargaining power of suppliers
Channel Research - -is a method of analysis whereby information is gleaned from the
company's distribution channels (i.e., suppliers and customers) and is an attempt to
determine whether the use/purchase of the target company's product or service
changed, increased, or decreased
Four Forces underlying a Broad Factors Analysis (PEST analysis) - -(1) Political
(2) Economic
(3) Technological
(4) Socio-demographic
SWOT Analysis for a firm - -(1) Strengths; advantage over competitors
(2) Weaknesses; disadvantageous relative to competitors
(3) Opportunities; elements that allow company to formulate and implement strategies
to increase profitability
(4) Threats; elements that could endanger the integrity and profitability of the business
1933 Securities Act - -(1) required investors to receive financial and other significant
information concerning securities being offered for public sale.
(2) prohibited deceit, misrepresentations, and other fraud in the sale of securities
Glass-Steagall Banking Act of 1933 - -(1) effectively barred commercial banks from
operating IB businesses
(2) created the FDIC
Securities Act of 1934 - -(1) supervision of new security offerings
(2) ongoing reporting requirements (e.g., 10-K, 10-Q)
(3) created the SEC
FIN 461