Vertical Strategies and Market Structure: A Systematic Risk Analysis

This study examines the implications of vertical mergers on the risk characteristic of the merging firms. Specifically, the study focuses on three structural characteristics of the acquiring and acquired firm's market to explain the change in the systematic or environmental risk of the acquiring firm. These structural factors are the level of competition in the acquiring firm's industry, the level of competition in the acquired firm's industry, and the growth rate of the acquiring firm's industry. The findings suggest that vertical mergers are effective at reducing systematic risk particularly when the acquiring firm competes in a concentrated market. Further, this result appears to be stable across life cycle stages.