The Impact of Vertical Integration and Horizontal Diversification on the Value of Energy Firms
Carlo Pozzi Philippe Vassilopoulos The Impact of Vertical Integration and Horizontal Diversification on the Value of Energy Firms Abstract We analyze the long-run return performance of 27 value-weighted equity portfolios based on a classification of the US energy sector that follows traditional industrial organization categories. When adjusted to market and fuel risks, portfolio returns show that both vertical integration and horizontal diversification failed to produce shareholder value during the 1990-2003 period. This confirms the theoretical predictions of both financial economics and industrial organization and shows that the wave of corporate restructuring that has interested US energy industries over the last decade may have occurred at a net cost to firm shareholders. Keywords: abnormal return, agency cost, agency theory, beta estimation, conglomerate, cumulated excess return, diversifiable risk, downstream, economy of scale, economy of scope, excess return, Fama-French methodology, fitted return, fuel diversification, fuel risk, Henry-Hub, high-minus-low portfolio, horizontal diversification, in-sample estimation, market beta, market portfolio, market risk, merger, midstream, multi-factor risk model, natural gas industry, oil industry, outliers, out-of-sample estimation, perquisite, portfolio diversification, power industry, production stage, pure player, return distribution, risk-adjusted return, risk-free rate, rolling regression, security market line, shareholder diversification, shareholder value, small-minus-big portfolio, standard industrial classification, synergy, systematic risk, takeover, theory of the firm, transaction cost, upstream, utility, utility regulation, value chain, value-weighted equity portfolios, vertical integration, West-Texas intermediate. 1 Economic theory posits both positive and negative impacts of horizontal diversification of firm value. It also maintains that vertical integration produces value, when firms internalize functions which may not be adequately performed in the market.
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