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The price effects of a large merger of manufacturers: A case study of maytag-whirlpool

Author(s): Ashenfelter, Orley C.; Hosken, DS; Weinberg, MC

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Abstract: Many experts speculate that US antitrust policy towards horizontal mergers has been too lenient. We estimate the price effects of Whirlpool's acquisition of Maytag to provide new evidence on this debate. We compare price changes in appliance markets most affected by the merger to markets where concentration changed much less or not at all. We estimate price increases for dishwashers and relatively large price increases for clothes dryers, but no price effects for refrigerators or clothes washers. The combined firm's market share fell across all four affected categories, and the number of distinct appliance products offered for sale fell.
Publication Date: 1-Feb-2013
Citation: Ashenfelter, OC, Hosken, DS, Weinberg, MC. (2013). The price effects of a large merger of manufacturers: A case study of maytag-whirlpool. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 5 (1), 239 - 261. doi:10.1257/pol.5.1.239
DOI: doi:10.1257/pol.5.1.239
ISSN: 1945-7731
EISSN: 1945-774X
Pages: 239 - 261
Type of Material: Journal Article
Journal/Proceeding Title: American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
Version: Final published version. Article is made available in OAR by the publisher's permission or policy.



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