Score contribution per author:
α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count
Did a 2000 legislatively-mandated increase in the reporting thresholds for proposed mergers lead firms to endogenously undertake mergers that now lie below the threshold, with the aim of avoiding regulatory scrutiny? Recent research finds support for this behavior, dubbing this activity “stealth consolidation.” We extend this exploration in new directions logically implied by the theory. Our empirical findings are inconsistent with the theory of stealth consolidations, and suggest that more research is necessary to explain the evolving composition of mergers.