Stock market reaction to corporate real estate divestitures and acquisitions during the global financial crisis

Abstract

Real estate divestitures and acquisitions (D&A) are conducted as part of corporate restructuring. This study aims to fill the knowledge gap on abnormal stock market returns (AR) toward D&A activities during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in a developing country. Malaysian listed non-real estate companies that conducted D&A during the GFC are used as sample. Event study is applied to determine AR surrounding D&A announcements within (-10day, +10day) event window. Results for both D&A announcements shows insignificant AR on and around announcement date (-1 to +1). For pre-announcement, divesting (acquiring) companies obtain negative (positive) AR, signifying that the market does not favor (favor) divestitures (acquisitions) due to leakage of information. The outcome of post-announcement proves that divesting companies continue to experience negative ARs, although most divesting companies were paid premium prices. However, acquiring companies experience significant and negative post-announcement AR. This is probably due to the price premium which most acquiring companies paid exceeding valuation for their acquisitions. In summary, the market disapproves divestitures in general and acquisitions of real estate assets exceeding their valuations during economic recessions.