Publicação
Can consumer surplus decrease with merger efficiencies?
| Resumo: | This paper investigates the impact of mergers on consumer welfare within a Cournot model, considering mergers driven by anticipated efficiency gains and potential post-merger entry. In this framework, we demonstrate that: (i) modest efficiencies can make both merger and entry beneficial, benefiting consumers; (ii) moderate efficiencies may deter entry, harming consumers due to the merger; and (iii) significant efficiencies may discourage entry but lead to lower prices, benefiting consumers. This result, therefore, embodies an important policy implication that assessing the overall effect of a merger on consumer surplus requires evaluating merger-specific synergies alongside the likelihood of post-merger entry. |
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| Autores principais: | Brito, Duarte |
| Outros Autores: | Vasconcelos, Helder |
| Assunto: | Consumer surplus Entry Horizontal mergers Synergies Finance Economics and Econometrics |
| Ano: | 2024 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade Nova de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório Institucional da UNL |
| Resumo: | This paper investigates the impact of mergers on consumer welfare within a Cournot model, considering mergers driven by anticipated efficiency gains and potential post-merger entry. In this framework, we demonstrate that: (i) modest efficiencies can make both merger and entry beneficial, benefiting consumers; (ii) moderate efficiencies may deter entry, harming consumers due to the merger; and (iii) significant efficiencies may discourage entry but lead to lower prices, benefiting consumers. This result, therefore, embodies an important policy implication that assessing the overall effect of a merger on consumer surplus requires evaluating merger-specific synergies alongside the likelihood of post-merger entry. |
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