What Drives Chinese Overseas M&A Investment? Evidence from Micro Data

In recent years Chinese foreign acquisitions have increased significantly, with Chinese investors are more likely to acquire larger firms, firms with lower levels of profitability and higher debt. This EconPol working paper from Clemens Fuest (EconPol Europe, ifo Institute, LMU), Felix Hugger (LMU), Samina Sultan (LMU) and Jing Xing (Shanghai Jiao Tong University) shows investors don’t seem to pay more for target firms with given characteristics, questioning the view that they are subsidized to outbid other investors. Policy initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and Made in China 2025 influence state-owned but not private Chinese investors. After acquisition by a Chinese company, targets exhibit lower growth in capital productivity, but a higher growth of employee compensation.

Press release: https://www.econpol.eu/press_releases/2019-11-07_Eng