Pre and post-merger and acquisition performance of companies in the Malaysian energy sector

Abstract

The Malaysian energy sector companies are experiencing a high competition market of a fast-changing global market that requires them to do a synergy. This study aims to analyze Merger and Acquisition (M&A) performance of Malaysian energy sector companies. The study is important because M&A represents a critical shift in every business strategy. The consolidation needs to be well prepared and conducted systematically to achieve a good result. Company annual financial reports data were gathered for the periods of pre- and post-M&A. The ratio analysis has been conducted using financial ratios related to liquidity, profitability, leverage, and efficiency to evaluate company performance. The finding shows insignificant improvement in liquidity, profitability, leverage, and efficiency after the M&A period. This research implication confirms the findings of previous studies that companies have not had a stronger financial performance after M&A and that M&A was unsuccessful in creating synergy with the effective use of resources on a longterm basis.