Financial performance analysis of German firms after Chinese mergers and acquisitions

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to look at Chinese mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in Germany on a firm level. It focuses on the benefits and risks from the viewpoint of Germany. In this way, the authors want to close the research gap concerning the financial consequences of Chinese takeovers for the affected German firms. The purpose is to find out if Chinese investors show a specific behavior in terms of profitability, growth and business risks in the acquired companies. Design/methodology/approach This paper studies the financial situation of German firms two years before and two years after being bought by Chinese companies, by analyzing accounting data of 19 target companies in six economic sectors. In this empirical study, firm performance is measured by profitability, research and development cost, liquidity and financial leverage. It is using the industry adjustment method and calculation of mean and weighted mean considering company size. Findings Overall, German firms’ financial performance after Chinese M&A did not significantly improve, but they did not worsen either. The changes in financial ratios are different across economic sectors and company sizes. Obviously, the final performance of firms after M&A is quite diverse due to diverse company-specific targets. The results do not reflect common fears about deteriorating situations brought by Chinese involvement drawn in mass media. Research limitations/implications The study lacks analysis for a longer period, ideally five years before and five years after M&A. The calculated results of industry mean may differ from the real industry mean, as components are collected from the sample companies accounting for only 70% of the market. Industry means figures are calculated for only one single point in time and assumed to be unchanged over the whole time period. The study covers mostly firms which have total assets of more than €50m, so SMEs are underrepresented. Practical implications Owners of German firms that are in target but have not been purchased by Chinese investors can see the trends and anticipate which group of M&A targets their firms are categorized into. If their firms belong to the group of sectors or company sizes that shows negative results of performance after Chinese M&A, they can plan to protect their firms by implementing defending strategies against hostile takeovers. If their firms are in the groups that tend to enhance performance after Chinese M&A, they may be in a good position and able to negotiate for mutually beneficial transactions. Social implications The results are important for political and public discussion. It is shown that Chinese acquisitions of German firms do not have a deteriorating effect, at least not in the short-term. Therefore, the results are a good input to neutralize discussions in German society. Originality/value The results disagree with the few previous studies on Chinese M&A in Germany (Bollhorn, 2015; Müller, 2017; Löchel and Sächtig, 2019). While the studies of Bollhorn and Müller are based on subjective methods, the study is based on a detailed financial method. Then, in contrast to the study of Löchel and Sächtig, it is strictly focusing on Chinese/German M&A. Most existing empirical studies are focusing on cross-border M&As from developed to developing countries and there is little attention to acquisitions in the other direction (Ma et al., 2016, p. 22).