Merger Arbitrage

Merger Arbitrage

A hedge fund strategy with which the stocks of two merging companies are simultaneously bought and sold to create a riskless profit.

Notes:

A merger arbitrageur looks at the risk of the merger deal not closing on time or at all. Because of this slight uncertainty the target company's stock will typically sell at a discount to the price that the combined company will have when the merger is closed.

A regular portfolio manager may focus only on the profitability of the merged entity. In contrast, merger arbitrageurs care only about the probability of the deal being approved and how long it will take the deal to close.

See also: Acquisition, Arbitrage, Hedge Fund, Market Arbitrage, Merger, Target Firm

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Merger Arbitrage

In the context of hedge funds, a style of management that involves the simultaneous purchase of stock in a company being acquired and the sale of stock in its acquirer.