Merger Arbitrage - (Wiley Finance) 2nd Edition by Thomas Kirchner (Hardcover) (2024)

About the Book

"Mitigate risk and increase returns with an alternative hedge fund strategy Merger Arbitrage: How to Profit from Event-Driven Arbitrage, Second Edition is the definitive guide to the ins and outs of the burgeoning merger arbitrage hedge fund strategy, with real-world examples that illustrate how mergers work and how to take advantage of them. Author Thomas Kirchner, founder of the Pennsylvania Avenue Event-Driven Fund, discusses the factors that drove him to invest solely in merger arbitrage and other event-driven strategies, and details the methods used to incorporate merger arbitrage into traditional investment strategies. And while there is always a risk that a deal will fall through, the book explains how minimal such risks really are when the potential upside is factored in. Early chapters of the book focus on the basics of the merger arbitrage strategy, including an examination of mergers and the incorporation of risk into the arbitrage decision. Following chapters detail deal structures, financing, and legal aspects to provide the type of in-depth knowledge required to execute an effective investment strategy. The updated second edition stresses new, increasingly relevant information like: Worldwide legal deal regimes UK takeover code UK takeover code global offspring Regulators around the world The book provides clear, concise guidance on critical considerations including leverage and options, shorting stocks, and legal recourse for inadequate merger consideration, allowing readers to feel confident about trying a new investment strategy. With simple benefits including diversification of risk and return streams, this alternative hedge fund strategy has a place in even the most traditional plan. Merger Arbitrage: How to Profit from Event-Driven Arbitrage, Second Edition provides the information that gives investors an edge in the merger arbitrage arena"--

Book Synopsis

Mitigate risk and increase returns with an alternative hedge fund strategy

Merger Arbitrage: How to Profit from Event-Driven Arbitrage, Second Edition is the definitive guide to the ins and outs of the burgeoning merger arbitrage hedge fund strategy, with real-world examples that illustrate how mergers work and how to take advantage of them. Author Thomas Kirchner, founder of the Pennsylvania Avenue Event-Driven Fund, discusses the factors that drove him to invest solely in merger arbitrage and other event-driven strategies, and details the methods used to incorporate merger arbitrage into traditional investment strategies.

And while there is always a risk that a deal will fall through, the book explains how minimal such risks really are when the potential upside is factored in. Early chapters of the book focus on the basics of the merger arbitrage strategy, including an examination of mergers and the incorporation of risk into the arbitrage decision. Following chapters detail deal structures, financing, and legal aspects to provide the type of in-depth knowledge required to execute an effective investment strategy. The updated second edition stresses new, increasingly relevant information like:

  • Worldwide legal deal regimes
  • UK takeover code
  • UK takeover code global offspring
  • Regulators around the world

The book provides clear, concise guidance on critical considerations including leverage and options, shorting stocks, and legal recourse for inadequate merger consideration, allowing readers to feel confident about trying a new investment strategy. With simple benefits including diversification of risk and return streams, this alternative hedge fund strategy has a place in even the most traditional plan. Merger Arbitrage: How to Profit from Event-Driven Arbitrage, Second Edition provides the information that gives investors an edge in the merger arbitrage arena.

From the Back Cover

Updated and revised for the new global landscape, this expanded second edition of Merger Arbitrage takes you beyond a mere description of the arbitrage process into a full examination of how you can profitably add merger arbitrage to your portfolio, including practical introductions to the most popular vehicles for using this strategy in your everyday approach to investing.

This is the definitive book on one of the most effective forms of arbitrage. Conveniently organized into three comprehensive parts, this reliable resource starts out by giving you a succinct and applicable foundation on the basics of the arbitrage process, including the ins and outs of the strategy--cash mergers versus stock-for-stock mergers, sources of risk and return, and deal structure. Through insightful explanations of arbitrageurs operating in real-world situations, you gain cautionary advice on the downside risks and common missteps of drawing profit from these unique transactions. If you're looking for returns regardless of market direction, this proven and versatile alternative hedge fund strategy lets you diversify risk and return streams in the most traditional plans. Even those investors new to merger arbitrage can use this quick-start resource to:

  • Unravel the details of the incentives management needs for getting mergers done
  • Take every available advantage to get full value of shares when a company is taken over
  • Get up to date on the latest ways government is involved in the merger process

In-depth insights and expert advice focus on making merger arbitrage work in today's dynamic market, including all the practical aspects of the discipline, such as red flags to watch for when abuse of shareholder value and conflicts of interests surface. Clear, authoritative guidance on such critical topics as leverage and options, shorting stocks, and legal recourse for inadequate merger consideration lets you use this investment strategy with confidence in every situation.

Merger Arbitrage: How to Profit from Global Event-Driven Arbitrage, Second Edition gives you everything you need to gain an edge in the merger arbitrage arena.

About the Author

THOMAS F. KIRCHNER is a portfolio manager of the Quaker Event Arbitrage Fund, a mutual fund that uses merger arbitrage as one of its investment strategies.

Merger Arbitrage - (Wiley Finance) 2nd Edition by  Thomas Kirchner (Hardcover) (2024)

FAQs

What is the average return of merger arbitrage? ›

Between 1998 and 2022, Merger Arbitrage strategies delivered a 4.4% annualised return, or about 200bp above the risk-free rate over the same period.

Is merger arbitrage risky? ›

Understanding Merger Arbitrage

Since there is a probability the deal may not be approved, merger arbitrage carries some risk. Merger arbitrage is a strategy that focuses on the merger event rather than the overall performance of the stock market.

How do I invest in merger arbitrage? ›

Merger arbitrage is trading in the stocks of companies that are involved in proposed takeovers or mergers. The simplest type of merger arbitrage involves buying of a company targeted for takeover at a discount from the acquisition price, betting the deal will go through.

What is the required return for a merger arbitrage investment? ›

In a merger arbitrage investment, the target company stock is bought at a discount to the deal consideration and yield is generated once the deal closes and the discount is resolved. A diversified merger arbitrage portfolio aims to attain, on average, a return of cash plus three to four percent over the long-term.

Is merger arbitrage profitable? ›

Merger Arbitrage in Stock Mergers

As the deal comes to a successful close, the spread narrows, and the investor makes a profit. The acquirer's equity gets diluted, and the value of each share gets diluted as well, as there are now more outstanding shares, allowing the investor to make money from short-selling.

What is the success rate of merger arbitrage? ›

The success rate of merger arbitrage depends on various factors, such as the accuracy of the investor's analysis, the complexity of the deal, and market conditions. On average, studies suggest that merger arbitrage strategies have success rates ranging from 70% to 90%.

Can you lose money in arbitrage trading? ›

Often, arbitrage is referred to as a “risk-free profit”, although, in reality, very few trades carry no risk. Therefore, an arbitrage method may provide a trading edge​ for winning, but if the arbitrage is based on assumptions and those assumptions are wrong, the trade could result in a loss.

What is a real life example of merger arbitrage? ›

What is a real life merger arbitrage example? Here is a real-life example of merger arbitrage from 2022: In January 2022, Microsoft announced plans to acquire video game company Activision Blizzard for $95 per share, representing a 45% premium over Activision's price at the time.

Is merger arbitrage risk-free? ›

Deal-level risks

Risk "arbitrage" is not risk-free. Its profits materialize if the spread, which exists as a result of the risk that the merger will not be consummated at its original terms, eventually narrows.

Is arbitrage investing legal? ›

Yes, arbitrage is legal in the U.S. Many investors like this type of trading because it provides liquidity and encourages market efficiency by identifying price discrepancies and fostering price convergence.

How do we make money in arbitrage? ›

Arbitrage means taking advantage of price differences across markets to make a buck. If a currency, commodity or security—or even a rare pair of sneakers—is priced differently in two separate markets, traders buy the cheaper version and then sell it at the higher price to make money.

Can arbitrage funds give negative returns? ›

While on a 3 month basis there are no instances of negative returns in arbitrage funds, to be on the conservative side we would suggest a minimum time frame of atleast 6 months. If you can hold and extend your time frame by more than 1 year then you also get the benefit of long-term capital gains tax.

What two conditions are necessary for arbitrage to be successful? ›

Trading conditions for arbitrage

They are: The same asset has different prices on different markets. Markets may value an asset differently, which causes two unequal prices.

Who should invest in arbitrage funds? ›

They appeal to investors who want to profit from volatile markets without taking on too much risk. Arbitrage funds profit on price differentials in different markets. They may purchase stock in the cash market and sell that interest in the futures market.

What is the required rate of return of a merged company? ›

To calculate RRR using the CAPM: Subtract the risk-free rate of return from the market rate of return. Multiply the above figure by the beta of the security. Add this result to the risk-free rate to determine the required rate of return.

What is the average synergies for M&A? ›

According the data, the announced synergies typically range between 1‑5% of total combined costs (SG&A and COGS). But there are those that achieve much more than others. A quarter of the global executive teams announce less than one percent of synergies; one of ten executives aims for ten percent or more.

What is the profit opportunity of arbitrage? ›

Arbitrage means dealing simultaneously in multiple markets, to exploit a temporary discrepancy in prices, and earn a risk-free profit. Notice the arbitrage opportunity is both (i) temporary and (ii) risk-free.

What is the Sharpe ratio of merger arbitrage? ›

Comparing apples-to-apples across hedge fund strategies, merger arbitrage comes out on top. Its 1.64 Sharpe ratio is over twice as high as the HFRI index, which represents a composite of all hedge fund strategies.

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