In this paper we develop various measures of M&A failure for an intra-European sample during the fifth takeover wave: inferior long-term stock performance, inferior operating performance, and target divestment. After documenting the extent of M&A failure, we test the relation between short-term abnormal returns at deal announcement and M&A failure. We examine a sample where listed bidders acquire listed targets (267 deals) as well as privately-held targets (336 deals). Our results indicate M&A failure rates up to 50% in both samples. When acquirers and targets are listed, lower M&A announcement returns are consistently and significantly associated with higher M&A failure probabilities and long-term losses. In contrast, when targets are privately held, we find no evidence of such an association.The authors wish to express their gratitude to the editor John Doukas and an anonymous referee at European Financial Management. They are further grateful for the useful comments

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