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why does industry consolidation happen

by Khalil Schiller MD Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Consolidation is a major trend in many industries, and the main reason why companies consolidate is to improve investment returns through cost cutting and productivity gains. Sometimes, even companies that have nothing in common come together in order to diversify.

Companies often merge or consolidate segments in order to cut down on costs, achieve more efficient operations or discontinue product lines that are not performing as well as others. This is done when a company has matured and is no longer in its growth phase.

Full Answer

What is industry consolidation?

Industry consolidation is a situation in which separate companies become one. It is sometimes described as a merger, although technically these are two different situations. In a merger, a new business is formed when one company absorbs the other; in a consolidation, companies join forces on relatively equal terms to form one new company.

What is the main reason for consolidation?

Reasons for Consolidation. Consolidation is a major trend in many industries, and the main reason why companies consolidate is to improve investment returns through cost cutting and productivity gains. Sometimes, even companies that have nothing in common come together in order to diversify.

How does consolidation affect a company's long-term success?

Ultimately, a company’s long-term success depends on how it progresses through the stages of industry consolidation. Speed is everything. Ultimately, a company’s long-term success depends on how well it rides up the consolidation curve.

How do new industries consolidate as they mature?

Everyone knows that most new industries are fragmented and consolidate as they mature. But how does that work exactly? Our long-term analysis of mergers around the globe has found that most industries progress predictably through a clear consolidation life cycle—and that companies can plot with some precision where they fall in the cycle.

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What are the reasons for consolidation?

The reasons behind consolidation include operational efficiency, eliminating competition, and getting access to new markets. There are different types of business consolidation, including statutory consolidation, statutory mergers, stock acquisitions, and variable interest entities.

What is an industry consolidation?

Industry consolidation is a situation in which separate companies become one. It is sometimes described as a merger, although technically these are two different situations.

What are the benefits of industry consolidation?

Increase Revenue This type of organizational consolidation increases the size of a company's market, which in turn can lead to higher sales and profits. An increase in market size also provides an opportunity to expand a company's business line, which can lead to increased sales and profits as well.

What are the reason why there is a merger and consolidation?

Merger or consolidation may be resorted to by corporations because of economic reasons. When times are tough, companies ought to merge or consolidate depending on their plan for survival and/or economic growth. Also, this is to create a more competitive, cost-efficient company and to increase value.

Why is industry consolidation bad?

High Costs of Technology Unfortunately, technology comes at a high cost and a fair amount of loss of control. Consolidation of equipment manufacturers significantly limits farmer choice and gives an unfair pricing advantage to the few companies that make most of the world's farming equipment.

What happens in consolidation?

Consolidation is a phase when a stock or an index trades within a range. The trend is said to be sideways and may vary depending on the circumstance. Once this range is broken, it may lead to bigger moves, but until the range is intact, the movement cannot be clearly predicted.

Why do companies merge with other companies?

Companies merge to expand their market share, diversify products, reduce risk and competition, and increase profits. Common types of company mergers include conglomerates, horizontal mergers, vertical mergers, market extensions and product extensions.

Which is the cause of industrial merge?

A merger can be motivated by a desire to acquire certain assets that cannot be obtained using other methods. In M&A transactions, it is quite common that some companies arrange mergers to gain access to assets that are unique or to assets that usually take a long time to develop internally.

Why is consolidation important?

They help to establish economies of scale that drive down the cost of goods and services and make the marketplace more competitive – and therefore affordable – for consumers.

What is the third stage of consolidation?

The third stage in consolidation is the expansion stage. Companies who still exist as we arrive at this stage have had to endure a rather fast-paced stage two, and are now committed toward expanding their business at a pace that’s larger and quicker than their competitors.

What happens in the second stage of the industry?

As an industry moves into this second stage, you’ll notice that leaders begin to emerge from the early fragmented stage. These leading companies are attracting capital, allowing them to buy up competitors in a continued path toward acquisitions-based growth.

What is stage 2 integration?

Companies who are able to succeed during stage two are those who acquire key competitors and who can focus on integrations as well as acquisitions. Integrations include IT systems, employee training systems, and building a scalable operations management platform.

What happens to premiums in expansion stage?

Premiums will also drop substantially. This is because companies in this stage will only continue to thrive so long as they are disciplined in how they grow.

Is an acquisition target larger than the acquisition company?

An acquisition target – during this stage – is still smaller in size than its acquiring company; however, it’s typically larger in size than during the first stage in an effort to leverage cost-reduction opportunities.

What is industry consolidation?

What is industry consolidation? It is the condition in which business expand by acquiring other businesses in the same industry; usually – but not always – larger companies acquiring smaller ones.

What happens when a business is in consolidation phase?

When a consolidation phase gets started, business owners that have been thinking about selling – or that might sell in the near future – have an opportunity to get top dollar for their business.

What industry is an example of a file?

One example from our files is in the hardware store industry .

Is strategic acquisition always strategic?

While these deals are sometimes strategic moves by the acquiring businesses, they aren’t always. In many cases, businesses try to sell themselves to a competitor. Sometimes that competitor will view the acquisition as “ strategic ” but often they don’t.

Is consolidation a good time to sell?

Consolidation is happening in many industries. Now is a good time to sell.

Why is technology consolidation important?

Enhancing a company’s technological capabilities is one of the biggest drivers for industry consolidation , these days especially as electrification and automation development efforts have greatly increased. By merging with another company that already has expertise with a particular technology, development time can be reduced, and new products can be brought to market faster.

What is the evolution of consolidation?

Consolidation is a natural part of the evolution of any industry as technologies advance and market expectations grow, and the recession certainly helped to shape the current landscape.

What is the merger of Danfoss and Eaton?

One of the biggest mergers announced in 2020 was Danfoss’ acquisition of Eaton’s Hydraulics Business. The business will be transferred into the existing Danfoss business segment, Danfoss Power Solutions, adding approximately 11,000 employees and 2019 sales of 2.2 billion USD (2.0 billion EUR) to the business segment, which will double the hydraulics business. Through the acquisition the companies will be able to bring together their years of hydraulics expertise to better serve customers. In addition, Danfoss will now have a presence in the industrial hydraulics market.

Why is it important for OEMs to maintain entrepreneurial orientation?

It is also important that OEMs continue to demand their supplier base remain nimble and responsive to the rapidly evolving market trends, especially in the development of advanced technologies, says Decleer. “Suppliers must maintain an entrepreneurial orientation to produce the innovations that will support autonomous driving, connectivity, electrification and hybridization, vehicle intelligence, and other trends.”

Why do larger suppliers have more disposable investment funds?

The larger suppliers also often have more disposable investment funds for continually improving its products, processes and resources.

What happened to the market after the crash?

Once the market crashed, many smaller businesses found themselves struggling to stay afloat with decreased demand and a saturated market. Mergers with larger companies became the only way to survive for many; this trend has not subsided since then either, with new mergers and acquisitions frequently appearing in the news.

Why do companies merge?

There are several reasons that a company would make the strategic move to acquire another company, ranging from product portfolio supplementation, to regional expansion, to technological gains.

What is industry consolidation?

Definition of Industry Consolidation. Industry consolidation is a situation in which separate companies become one. It is sometimes described as a merger, although technically these are two different situations. In a merger, a new business is formed when one company absorbs the other; in a consolidation, companies join forces on relatively equal ...

Why do companies consolidate?

Consolidation is a major trend in many industries, and the main reason why companies consolidate is to improve investment returns through cost cutting and productivity gains. Sometimes, even companies that have nothing in common come together in order to diversify.

What is horizontal merger?

Consolidations and mergers can be horizontal or vertical. Horizontal integration occurs when two companies within the same industry become one, on roughly equal terms. This type of integration often raises antitrust concerns, as the combined firm will have a larger market share than either firm had before merging.

How do mergers benefit consumers?

As the U.S. Federal Trade Commission points out on its website, many mergers benefit competition and consumers by allowing firms to operate more efficiently. However, some mergers can lead to monopolistic positions, which can then lead to higher prices, decreased innovation or a drop in the quality or availability of goods or services.

What is merger in business?

In a merger, a new business is formed when one company absorbs the other; in a consolidation, companies join forces on relatively equal terms to form one new company. However, the two terms are often used interchangeably.

When did the first wave of consolidation occur?

According to Encyclopedia.com, four main waves of business consolidation have occurred in U.S. history. The first wave came at the end of the 19th century, producing corporations such as U.S. Steel, American Tobacco and DuPont.

What is vertical integration?

Vertical integration occurs when two companies are at a different stage in the production process; for example, a car maker merging with a car retailer or a parts supplier. It raises antitrust concerns only if one of the companies already enjoys some monopoly power, which the deal might allow it to extend into a new market. A third variation is called conglomeration--it is an organization of previously independent firms with different activities brought under the same management and control of a corporate holding company.

How long does it take for an industry to consolidate?

Today, we predict, an industry will take on average 25 years to progress through all four stages; in the past it took somewhat longer, and in the future we expect it to be even quicker. But, our research suggests, every company in every industry will go through these four stages—or disappear. Thus, an understanding of where in the cycle an industry is should be the cornerstone of a company’s long-term strategic plan.

What is the consolidation curve?

The Consolidation Curve. All industries have similar life cycles. Knowing where your company stands in the process can help you plot a winning strategy. Everyone knows that most new industries are fragmented and consolidate as they mature.

How does a company's long term success depend on how well it rides up the consolidation curve?

Speed is everything, and managers’ merger competence is paramount, particularly during the middle stages of consolidation. Companies that evaluate each strategic and operational move according to how it will advance them up through the stages—that capture critical ground early and move up the curve the fastest—will be the most successful. Slower firms eventually become acquisition targets and will likely disappear. Most companies simply won’t survive to the endgame by trying to stay out of the contest, or worse, by ignoring it.

What is the first stage of consolidation?

Stage 1 companies should focus more on revenue than profit, working to amass market share. And they should begin perfecting their acquisition skills, as these will be key to success in the next two stages of consolidation. Stage 2: Scale. This stage is all about building scale.

Do companies move through stage 4?

Companies don’t move through stage 4; they stay in it. Thus, firms in these industries must defend their leading positions. They must find new ways to grow their core business in a mature industry and create a new wave of growth by spinning off new businesses into industries in early stages of consolidation.

Do new industries consolidate as they mature?

Everyone knows that most new industries are fragmented and consolidate as they mature. But how does that work exactly? Our long-term analysis of mergers around the globe has found that most industries progress predictably through a clear consolidation life cycle—and that companies can plot with some precision where they fall in the cycle.

Michelle Kopier

A closer look at the positive and potentially negative impacts continued consolidation could have on the heavy-duty vehicle industry.

Benefits and Challenges

As the heavy-duty vehicle industry has slowly shrunk – both on the whole goods’ side and more significantly on the suppliers’ side – there are positives and negatives to contend with. What does this mean to manufacturers and customers in the on- and off-highway spaces?

M&A is commonplace in times of crisis

Senator John Sherman, the author of the Sherman Antitrust Act, was worried about merging companies’ abilities to control wages without having to deal with the forces of a free market. However, businesses aren’t new to consolidation, mergers are commonplace during times of financial distress.

Effects on the Labor market

When thinking about consolidation one really doesn’t take into consideration the workers that are mainly affected by the merger. A company’s organization structure, employees, and compensation/benefits require proper due diligence for a complete understanding of the value of the employees.

What about compensation?

As the energy market continues to concentrate, the lack of supply of job choices for the worker dwindles. Demand for workers decreases, as increased mergers push workers out of the workforce and into the open market. Not only does this apply to the general employee population, but executives as well.

Retention awards and other considerations

Specifically, executives are normally highly skilled workers with transferable skills across various industries, but sometimes transferring across industry boundaries proves difficult. This in turn can limit executive value or require substantial time to find similar employment.

Looking ahead

Often times there are trade-offs when businesses combine. Having a clear understanding of the economics and demands of the effects on consolidations can provide insight into the pros and cons of labor and business as a whole.

What are the types of consolidation?

There are three consolidation methods, which are used depending on the strength of the Parent company’s control or influence (see also Significant influence): Full consolidation, Proportionate consolidation, and the Equity method.

What is bank consolidation?

Bank consolidation is the process by which one banking company takes over or merges with another. This convergence leads to a potential expansion for the consolidating banking institution.

What is negative goodwill?

In business, negative goodwill (NGW) is a term that refers to the bargain purchase amount of money paid, when a company acquires another company or its assets for significantly less their fair market values. … Consequently, negative goodwill nearly always favors the buyer.

What is the double entry for goodwill?

The double entry for this is therefore to debit the full market value to goodwill, credit the share capital figure in the consolidated statement of financial position with the nominal amount and to take the excess to share premium/other components of equity, also in the consolidated statement of financial position.

What happens to retained earnings in a merger?

Retained earnings is part of the owner’s equity section of the balance sheet. When you owned the company, that section represented your equity in the company. The company has a new owner, and that section now represents that person’s equity. Your retained earnings simply become the buyer’s retained earnings.

How do you solve consolidated retained earnings?

Consolidated retained earnings is calculated by adding two figures: the first is the parent’s individual retained earnings and the second is the parent’s share in the subsidiary’s post-acquisition retained earnings.

Why must intercompany transactions be eliminated?

Why are intercompany eliminations important? Intercompany eliminations show financial results without transactions between subsidiaries. Essentially, intercompany elimination ensures that there are only third party transactions represented in consolidated financial statements.

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The Fragmentation Stage

The Acquisition Stage

  • As an industry moves into this second stage, you’ll notice that leaders begin to emerge from the early fragmented stage. These leading companies are attracting capital, allowing them to buy up competitors in a continued path toward acquisitions-based growth. You’ll recognize that as a whole, the acquisition stage still reflects a somewhat fragmented industry; however, the leaders …
See more on investmentbank.com

The Expansion Stage

  • The third stage in consolidation is the expansion stage. Companies who still exist as we arrive at this stage have had to endure a rather fast-paced stage two, and are now committed toward expanding their business at a pace that’s larger and quicker than their competitors. During this stage, the frequency of acquisitions tends to minimize; however, they are often enormous, large …
See more on investmentbank.com

When Industries Mature

  • Following the expansion stage, industries will reach an age of maturation where acquisitions become all but nonexistent. The market is now fully developed and just a few key companies hold the reigns of the entire industry. This is the case in industries such as the automotive industry and in some consumer goods industriessuch as soft drinks.
See more on investmentbank.com

Implications During An Exit Strategy

  • Timing can be everything when it comes to your exit strategy. When deciding to sell your business, it’s worth understanding which consolidation stage your industry is in. Based on this, you’ll know what acquiring companies are looking for and willing to pay a premium for. You, then, can determine whether the time to sell is right, or if you believe you’ll find better offers as your in…
See more on investmentbank.com

What’s Driving Consolidation

Two Examples

Buyers: Issue #2

Storm Clouds on The Horizon?

The Bottom Line

  • When a consolidation phase gets started, business owners that have been thinking about selling – or that might sell in the near future – have an opportunity to get top dollar for their business. But when the planets seem to align – lots of money chasing businesses, low interest rates and a growing economy – the opportunity can be even more compelli...
See more on worldwidebusinessbrokers.com

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Why Companies Merge

Technology Advancements Drive The Need For Partnerships

  • Enhancing a company’s technological capabilities is one of the biggest drivers for industry consolidation, these days especially as electrification and automation development efforts have greatly increased. By merging with another company that already has expertise with a particular technology, development time can be reduced, and new products can ...
See more on oemoffhighway.com

Benefits and Challenges

1.Why does industry consolidation happen? - AskingLot.com

Url:https://askinglot.com/why-does-industry-consolidation-happen

34 hours ago Why does industry consolidation happen? The consolidation state is a phase in the industry or company life cycle where segments in the company or competitors in the industry start to merge. Companies often consolidate to gain a larger portion of overall market share and to take advantage of synergies.

2.Industry Consolidation & its Impact on Mergers

Url:https://investmentbank.com/industry-consolidation/

26 hours ago  · Consolidation is a major trend in many industries, and the main reason why companies consolidate is to improve investment returns through cost cutting and productivity gains. Sometimes, even companies that have nothing in …

3.Industry Consolidation - Worldwide Business Brokers

Url:https://worldwidebusinessbrokers.com/industry-consolidation/

13 hours ago Our industry is experiencing consolidation at a historic level. Big companies and financial firms are gobbling up other home improvement companies left and right…but why? 1. It’s a faster way for some of these large companies to grow and gain market share. 2.

4.The Pros and Cons of Industry Consolidation - OEM Off …

Url:https://www.oemoffhighway.com/market-analysis/article/20993610/the-pros-and-cons-of-industry-consolidation

17 hours ago Stage 1 companies should focus more on revenue than profit, working to amass market share. And they should begin perfecting their acquisition skills, as …

5.Definition of Industry Consolidation - Bizfluent

Url:https://bizfluent.com/about-6555139-definition-industry-consolidation.html

33 hours ago  · Consolidation is a natural part of the evolution of any industry as technologies advance and market expectations grow, and the recession …

6.The Consolidation Curve - Harvard Business Review

Url:https://hbr.org/2002/12/the-consolidation-curve

14 hours ago  · Learn more about Industry Consolidation and Its Effects on Compensation from Longnecker & Associates, the business industry's leading pay advisory, Original L&A Articles, and consultancy firm headquartered in Houston, Texas. ... As with any newly structured business, problems often will occur. Mainly the fundamental issue is what exactly is ...

7.The Pros and Cons of Industry Consolidation

Url:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pros-cons-industry-consolidation-michelle-kopier

6 hours ago  · Why does industry consolidation happen? The consolidation phase is a stage in the industry life cycle where competitors in the industry start to merge with one another . Companies will seek to consolidate in order to gain a larger portion of overall market share and to take advantage of synergies.

8.Industry Consolidation and Its Effects on Compensation

Url:https://www.longnecker.com/blog/industry-consolidation-and-its-effects-on-compensation/

35 hours ago

9.Quick Answer : What should be eliminated in consolidation?

Url:https://advertisingrow.com/advertising-magazine/quick-answer-what-should-be-eliminated-in-consolidation/

1 hours ago

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