Which multiples matter in M &A? An overview

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of valuation multiples in mergers and acquisitions advisory. I review the literature and legal controversies and the theoretical basis for their role. I then standardize all the advisor multiples available in SDC Platinum along four dimensions and report rich descriptive statistics on each dimension over time and across industries. I highlight eight findings that are notable in light of current knowledge and debates. This paper answers the call from Gow et al. (Journal of Accounting Research 54(2):477–523, 2016) for thorough descriptive research, to provide a foundation and prompts for future hypothesis development. It includes an explicit guide for using this data, an overview of the key institutional details, and a discussion of tractable and open research questions.