Foreign vs Domestic Acquisitions on Financial Risk Reduction

This paper examines the role of foreign versus domestic ownership in improving the financial health of acquired firms. In particular, it explores the impact of foreign and domestic acquisitions on financial risk reduction of acquired firms in Italy and Spain over the period 2002-2010. To estimate causal relationships, we control for selection bias by applying propensity score matching techniques. Our results indicate that foreign acquisition leads to a significant and steady reduction in financial risk. In contrast, the relationship between domestic acquisition and financial risk appears to be smaller and statistically less robust.