Strategic Similarity in Mergers and Acquisitions

Using textual analysis and the firm life-cycle theory to proxy for a company's competitive strategy, this paper empirically examines the strategic similarity hypothesis. The findings show that mergers and acquisitions deals are more likely between companies implementing the same strategy. Moreover, same strategy deals yield higher announcement returns, asset and sales growth. The effect is more pronounced in a highly competitive environment and within an industry, confirming that strategic misalignment acts as a constraint to the merged company's optimal response to investment opportunities and market threats. Overall, the results reveal that synergies obtained from the overlapping strategies constitute an important determinant of public mergers and acquisitions.