What is a Scorched Earth Policy? In finance, a scorched earth policy is a tactic that a company can use to prevent a hostile takeover. Essentially what happens is that a company targeted for takeover does everything it can reasonably do to make itself unattractive, hopefully discouraging the potential acquirer from continuing the takeover attempt….
What is a Godfather Offer? A Godfather offer is essentially an offer that is so ridiculously favorable, that to refuse it would be a dereliction of financial responsibility. It most often occurs in the context of mergers and acquisitions, and refers to an offer made by one company to purchase or take over another company….
What is a Dawn Raid? A dawn raid refers to the sudden sweeping purchase by a potential acquirer of a substantial number of a target company’s shares the moment the market opens (“dawn”). A dawn raid is typically undertaken by a potential acquiring company in the context of a hostile takeover attempt. Hostile…
What are American vs European vs Bermudan Options? There are different types of options that differ in terms of their exercise restrictions. The three basic types are American, European, and Bermudan options. Let’s explore American vs European vs Bermudan options to find out how they are different from one another. Options are exactly what they…
What is a Restrictive Covenant? A restrictive covenant is a promise included in a legal agreement that prevents one party to the contract from taking a specific action. When a party enters into a restrictive covenant, he/she agrees to refrain from doing something or from using a property in a certain way that is restricted…
What are Open-end vs Closed-end Mutual Funds? Many investors consider open-end vs. closed-end mutual funds similar due to both mutual funds allowing them an inexpensive way to pool capital together and invest in a diversified, professionally managed portfolio of securities. However, it is key to realize that there are substantial differences that affect the returns…
What is a Takeover Bid? A takeover bid refers to the purchase of a company (the target) by another company (the acquirer). With a takeover bid, the acquirer typically offers cash, stock, or a mix of both, “bidding” a specific price to purchase the target company for. Types of Takeover Bids The four different types…
What is the Flip-in Strategy? The flip-in strategy is one of the basic types of poison pill strategies that companies use to benefit their shareholders and help defend their company from an unwanted takeover. In the flip-in strategy, the target company – in order to defend itself against a hostile takeover – dilutes the value of…
What is an Acquiree? An acquiree is a company, business, or corporation that makes for a viable candidate for a merger or acquisition. The acquirer is the company purchasing another company. The process of acquiring the target company can follow different scenarios, depending on the attitude of the acquiree’s management. Often, the owners and shareholders…
What is the Flip-over Strategy? The flip-over strategy is a poison pill strategy used by companies to help protect themselves from a hostile takeover. With the flip-over strategy, shareholders of the target company have the opportunity to purchase shares of the acquiring company – the company looking to engage in a hostile takeover – at…
