M&A in the Construction Industry -Wealth Effects of Diversification into Real Estate Life Cycle Related Services

Since the late 1990s, the construction industry has undergone a change in business model, as contractors vertically expand their operations to other parts of the real estate life cycle. The question arises on whether construction companies have superior abilities as real estate service providers. We have examined the value implications of 106 large merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in the construction industry worldwide from 1986 to 2006. We inquire if a vertical expansion of the construction value chain in the real estate life cycle through M&A leads to the creation of shareholder value. We find out that this is not the case. M&A success is mainly determined by industry-specific size effects and common agency conflicts.Construction industry; Cross-border acquisitions; Bidder gains; Global diversification

Testing the predictability and efficiency of securitized real estate markets

This paper conducts tests of the random walk hypothesis and market efficiency for 14 national public real estate markets. Random walk properties of equity prices influence the return dynamics and determine the trading strategies of investors. To examine the stochastic properties of local real estate index returns and to test the hypothesis that public real estate stock prices follow a random walk, the single variance ratio tests of Lo and MacKinlay (1988) as well as the multiple variance ratio test of Chow and Denning (1993) are employed. Weak-form market efficiency is tested directly using non-parametric runs tests. Empirical evidence shows that weekly stock prices in major securitized real estate markets do not follow a random walk. The empirical findings of return predictability suggest that investors might be able to develop trading strategies allowing them to earn excess returns compared to a buy-and-hold strategy. --Securitized real estate,weak-form market efficiency,random walk hypothesis,variance ratio tests,runs test,trading strategies

The effects of uncertainty on market liquidity : evidence from Hurricane Sandy

We test the effects of uncertainty on market liquidity using Hurricane Sandy as a natural experiment. Given the unprecedented strength, scale and nature of the storm, the potential damages of a landfall near the Greater New York area were unpredictable and therefore uncertain. Using a difference-in-differences setting, we compare the market reactions of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) with and without properties in the widely-published evacuation zone of New York City prior to landfall. We find relatively less trading and wider bid-ask spreads in affected REITs. The results confirm theory on the detrimental effects of uncertainty on market functioning

Testing the predictability and efficiency of securitized real estate markets

This paper conducts tests of the random walk hypothesis and market efficiency for 14 national public real estate markets. Random walk properties of equity prices influence the return dynamics and determine the trading strategies of investors. To examine the stochastic properties of local real estate index returns and to test the hypothesis that public real estate stock prices follow a random walk, the single variance ratio tests of Lo and MacKinlay (1988) as well as the multiple variance ratio test of Chow and Denning (1993) are employed. Weak-form market efficiency is tested directly using non-parametric runs tests. Empirical evidence shows that weekly stock prices in major securitized real estate markets do not follow a random walk. The empirical findings of return predictability suggest that investors might be able to develop trading strategies allowing them to earn excess returns compared to a buy-and-hold strategy

Complements or substitutes: the relation between personal commitment and property based collateral pledging

Some studies indicate that there is only little difference between business and personal risks among small businesses. Personal assets and wealth can become subject to business risks depending on the organisational and legal structure chosen for the business. By the choice of the organisational and legal form the owner has a chance to increase the separation between the two classes of risks. However, lender's requirements for personal commitments, e.g., guarantees, mitigate the benefits of limited liability provisions. While recent studies concentrate on the lending relationships of small business borrowers we provide additional evidence for German medium-sized companies, the so-called German Mittelstand. There are two main findings: first, (property based, mortgage backed) internal collateral appears to be complement for outside personal commitments. Poorly performing companies have to provide more inside collateral and pledge guarantees with a higher probability than good borrowers do. Secondly, medium-sized corporations in Germany are less likely to provide guarantees than unincorporated firms. We interpret this finding as evidence that the owners of medium-sized companies have the market power to separate between business and personal risks. However, the pledging of property based collateral remains the most important risk reducing instrument from a lender's perspective.borrower quality; business risks; collateral pledging; German Mittelstand; global credit markets; guarantees; personal commitment; personal risks; small business; personal wealth; personal assets; Germany; medium-sized enterprises; property based collateral.

Spatial linkages in returns and volatilities among U.S. regional housing markets

This article investigates spatial linkages in returns, idiosyncratic risks and volatilities across 19 U.S. regional housing markets. Using Case & Shiller housing price indices from 1995 through 2009, we find that interconnections across markets can be “wider” and “stronger” than would normally be expected. They are “wider” because, in addition to geographic closeness, economic proximity is also an important source of influence; they are “stronger” because of the significant contagion effects during the 2007–2009 subprime and financial crises. The increased comovement and interdependence, especially among more geographically diverse regions with similar economic conditions, may help explain the failure of geographic portfolio diversification strategies

Immobilienwirtschaftslehre - Ökonomie

In diesem Band stehen volkswirtschaftliche Zusammenhänge und ihre Anwendung im Fokus. Konsequent wird der Begriff der „Immobilienökonomie“ als interdisziplinärer volkswirtschaftlicher Bestandteil der Immobilienwirtschaftslehre genutzt

Spatial Linkages in Returns and Volatilities among the U.S. Regional Housing Markets

This paper investigates spatial linkages in returns, idiosyncratic risks, and volatilities across nineteen U.S. regional housing markets. Using Case & Shiller housing price indices from 1995 through 2009, we find that interconnections across markets can be “wider” and “stronger” than would normally be expected. They are “wider” because, in addition to geographic closeness, economic proximity is also an important source of influence; they are “stronger” because of the significant contagion effects during the 2007-2009 subprime and financial crises. The increased co-movement and interdependence, especially among more geographically diverse regions with similar economic conditions, may help explain the failure of geographic portfolio diversification strategies