Using a sample of mergers and acquisitions from 1985 to 2014, we examine the impact of proximity between target and acquirer as a measure of information asymmetry. We find geographic distance has a significant impact on acquisitions premiums and time to completion, conditional on the size of the target firm. Small targets receive lower premiums and have a faster time to completion the closer they are to their acquirer. Conversely, large targets have a slower time to deal completion the closer their proximity. We conclude geographic distance has a substantial impact on acquisitions.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of market-level uncertainty on dividend and repurchase decisions. Design/methodology/approach Using a large data set over a nearly 50-year period, the author examines the choice to pay dividends and repurchase shares using logit and multinomial logit regressions. Findings Market-level uncertainty (measured by a GARCH estimate of volatility, as well as the Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index) is shown to have a statistically significant impact on firms’ payout policy decisions. This impact is different for dividends and repurchases as well as for firms with differing levels of cash flows. As market uncertainty increases, firms with low cash flow levels tighten dividend policy to conserve cash while firms with high cash flow levels become opportunistic through the use of share repurchases. Practical implications The findings allow investors to better understand the connection between shifts in market-level uncertainty and corporate payout policy, specifically through the differing use of dividends and repurchases. Originality/value While prior literature on payout policy has focused on firm-level determinants, this study demonstrates that market-level uncertainty impacts firms’ payout policy decisions uniquely. Furthermore, this is, to the author’s knowledge, the first study to differentiate by relative cash flow level, demonstrating that not all cash flow levels react in the same manner.

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The effect of sponsorship on the stock market returns of the sponsoring companies has been previously studied, but the internationalizing aspect of sponsorship has been overlooked. We examine returns to shareholders for firms sponsoring international football matches using an event study analysis. We find that there are cumulative abnormal returns to stockholders of sponsoring firms of international matches 10 days after the match and 20 days after the match. This finding is robust across several different event-study methods. We also find this general pattern across different professional football leagues, as well as a positive effect on returns by sponsoring high-profile football clubs. We theorize that the elapsed time until the effect on the stock price is the result of building brand awareness before a shift in the price becomes evident. These findings add nuance to the literature on sponsorship and event studies, which is almost exclusively domestic in character.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which dynamic pricing is utilized in North American professional sports. While industries such as airlines and travel services have employed dynamic pricing for decades, professional sports is only now starting to adopt it. Design/methodology/approach The authors survey and interview high ranking executives and managers in North American sports organizations. A total of 72 managers and executives from the four major North American professional sports leagues as well as other sport properties were surveyed. Descriptive statistics and a basic regression provide insight into perceptions v. actual practice among sports organizations. Findings While most sports organizations perceive high usage of dynamic pricing within their organization, current procedures lag. Nearly 70 percent of respondents believe that their organizations frequently or always apply business analytics to dynamic pricing, but only 30 percent update their prices daily. Fully 50 percent of organizations do not automate decision-making processes, which is a hallmark of dynamic pricing. The perception of constant use of analytics in dynamic pricing intensifies as job title increases. Originality/value As one of the initial surveys looking at the usage of dynamic pricing in North American professional sports, this study provides a glimpse into both the perception and the reality. It suggests that there is still ample room for improvement.