Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This project examines the implications of a merger of two companies, Alexander Forbes Limited and Meridian Brokers (Pty) Ltd. The emphasis of the study is the identification of the differences in corporate culture between the two organisations, and having done this identification, the selection of the change process required to facilitate the smoothest possible integration of the two companies. In the first instance the project research methodology is explained. The method of information gathering is done by means of questionnaires. Three major models which have been specifically designed to extract the necessary information are used in the project, namely the Beehive model, the Growth Curve model and the VISA model. Furthermore, the models to be used to drive the change process are also described in this initial stage. These models are the ESP of change and the ROP. During the next stage of the project the analyses of the data is done. The data is then compared in order to show certain differences between the cultures and management styles of the two organisations. The major differences between the two companies are then highlighted in graphic form to show where the emphasis must be laid during the change process, in order to create a new culture going forward. The final stages of this study project refer to the recommended change process for the integration. The emphasis here is to highlight what specific actions need to take place so that the new Alexander Forbes group can be an even stronger force to be reckoned with by becoming a globally competitive insurer. In conclusion the study project examines whether it has fulfilled its objective as set out initially, and whether there is cause for any other further study in this regard in the future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die projek ondersoek die implikasies van 'n samesmelting van twee maatskappy, Alexander Forbes Beperk en Meridian Brokers (Edms) Bpk. Die doel van die studie is die identifikasie van die verskille in korporatiewe kultuur tussen die twee oorspronklike en deur die identifikasie te doen, die seleksie van die veranderingsproses vereis om die beste moontlike integrasie tussen die twee maatskappye to bewerkstellig. In die eerste plek word die projeknavorsingsmetode verduidelik. Die metode om inligting te versamel word gedoen deur vraelyste. Drie hoofmodelle, naamlik die Beehive model, die Growth Curve model en die VISA model, wat spesifiek ontwerp is om die nodige inligting te trek, word in die projek gebruik. Verder, modelle wat ook gebruik word om die veranderingsproses te dryf, word hier beskryf. Hierdie modelle is die ESP en die ROP. Gedurende die volgende fase van die projek word die analise van die data gedoen. Die data word dan vergelyk om sekere verskille tussen kulture en bestuursstyle van die twee maatskappye te wys. Die hoof verskille tussen die twee maatskappye word dan uitgewys in grafiese vorm om te wys waar die beklemtoning gelê moet word gedurende die veranderingsproses, om 'n nuwe kulturele vooruitgang te skep. Die finale stappe van die studie projek verwys na die aanbevele veranderings proses vir die integrasie. Die doel hier is om te beklemtoon watter spesifieke aksies nodig is om plaas te vind sodat die nuwe Alexander Forbes groep selfs 'n sterker mag kan wees, deur 'n globale mededingende versekeraar te word. In samevatting ondersoek die studieprojek of dit voldoen het aan sy doel soos eerstens uitgestip, en of daar enige rede is om 'n verdere studie in die verband in die toekoms te doen.

Thesis (MBA)-- Stellenbosch University, 1995. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The price of shares is determined primarily by investors' current expectations about the future values of variables that measure the relevant aspects of a company's performance and profitability, particularly the anticipated growth rate of earnings per share. Empirically, no model estimated with only historical senes data has been found to have greater forecast accuracy than the random walk model in estimating earnings one period ahead. This has led to the conclusion that past and future earnings growth is uncorrelated and that only year t-l earnings are useful in forecasting year t earnings. Research by Mozes in the USA has found the opposite and his model is applied to the South African situation. The aim is to determine whether the Mozes model has greater forecasting accuracy in the prediction of earnings per share than the random walk model. The present study shows that the Mozes model has greater forecast accuracy in the prediction of earnings per share than the random walk model if the following criteria are met: the company must be classified as a large company in terms of market capitalisation; or the percentage increase in earnings per share must be large; and the earnings per share must be classified in the growth mode. It is demonstrated that if these criteria are met, the historical growth in earnings and the future growth in earnings are positively correlated and not distributed at random. If earnings per share is classified in the non~growth mode, the random walk model is more accurate in the prediction of earnings per share than the Mozes model and as such, only the earnings per share of year t-l is important in forecasting year t's earnings per share. The most important conclusion from the study is that earnings per share in the South African market is not always randomly distributed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die prys van aandele word primer bepaal deur beleggers se huidige verwagtinge rakende die toekomstige waarde van veranderlikes wat relevante aspekte van die maatskappy se prestasie en winsgewendheid beinvloed, meer spesifiek die geantisipeerde groei in verdienste per aandeel. Empiriese studies het bevind dat die toevalslopie-model die grootste akkuraatheid in die vooruitskatting van verdienste vir een periode in die toekoms lewer indien van historiese tydreeksdata gebruik gemaak word. Die gevolgtrekking word dus gemaak dat groei in verdienste van die verlede en die toekoms nie gekorreleerd is nie en dat slegs jaar t-1 se verdienste belangrik is in die vooruitskatting van jaar t se verdienste. Navorsing deur Mozes in die VSA het die teendeel getoon en die model is in die ondersoek toegepas op Suid-Afrikaanse data om te bepaal of dieselfde bevindinge geld. Resultate van hierdie studie toon dat daar aan die volgende kriteria voldoen moet word alvorens die Mozes-model meer akkurate vooruitskattings van verdienste per aandeel lewer as die toevals-Iopiemodel : -die maatskappy behoort as 'n groot maatskappy geklassifiseer te wees volgens markkapitalisasie; of -die persentasieverandering in verdienste per aandeel behoort groot te wees; en -indien verdienste per aandeel as synde in die groeifase geklassifiseer is. Indien aan die kriteria voldoen word, is aangetoon dat historiese groei in verdienste en toekomstige groei in verdienste gekorreleerd is en nie ewekansig versprei is nie. In die gevalle waar verdienste per aandeel as synde in die nie-groeifase geklassifiseer is, lewer die toevalslopie-model oorheersend meer akkurate vooruitskattings van verdienste per aandeel as die Mozes-model en gevolglik is daar bevind dat slegs jaar t ~ 1 se verdienste per aandeel belangrik is vir die vooruitskatting van jaar t se verdienste per aandeel. Die belangrikste afleiding vanuit die studie is gevolglik dat verdienste per aandeel in die SuidAfrikaanse mark nie in aile gevalle sonder meer ewekansig versprei is nie.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 1993. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The success rate of an undertaking is normally measured against the industrial average of the specific undertaking. In theory it is very easy, but in practice many problems arise which must be overcome before any ratio analysis becomes meaningful. All companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange were measured against the definition of a conglomerate. After the selection there were efforts to divide all the South · African conglomerates into homogeneous groups according to an article by Amit & Livnat (1990: 65-100) of the United States of America "Grouping of Conglomerates by their segments' economic attributes: Towards a meaningful ratio analysis." Thereby a more meaningful ratio analysis can be devised. A method of selection was devised to select the conglomerates from the universe which consisted of all listed companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 1 February 1993. Out of 685 companies 44 were selected as conglomerates. When the USA article was applied to South Africa it appeared that, due tot various problems, it was impossible to apply the USA article directly to the South African situation. Therefore the South African situation was approached differently. Due to the fact that guidelines only existed according to which conglomerates report their financial information segmentally, there were efforts to determine which methods were applied by the 44 conglomerates and whether any uniform measures existed in the segmental reporting. After the analysis of the separate companies it was found that 19 of the 44 companies which were selected as conglomerates report financial figures for their operational segments; 16 companies disclose no segmental reporting; 17 companies only mentioned certain segmental information in the directors' reports and 2 companies reported financial information for their subsidiaries instead of operational segments. From the research it becomes clear that segmental reporting was practiced in less than 50% of South African conglomerates. It appears that company management avoid segmental reporting to ensure that opposition companies cannot benefit from it. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die mate van sukses van 'n onderneming word normaalweg aan die gemiddelde van die industrie waarin die onderneming homself bevind, gemeet. Teoreties is dit baie maklik, maar in die praktyk ontstaan daar vele probleme wat oorkom moet word voordat enige verhoudingsanalise enigsins betekenisvol kan wees. Alle maatskappye wat op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs genoteer is, is aan die definisie van 'n konglomeraat gameet. Na die seleksie is daar aan die hand van 'n aftikel deur Amit & Livnat (1990: 65·'00) van die Verenigde State van Amerika "Grouping of Conglomerates by their segments' economic attributes: Towards a more meaningful ratio analysis" . gepoog om die Suid·Afrikaanse konglomerate in homogene groepe te deel. Sodoende word 'n meer sinvolle verhoudingsanalise daargestel. 'n Seleksiemetode is gevind om die konglomerate uit die universum, wat bestaan uit alle maatskappye wat op 1 Februarie 1993 op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs genoteer was, te selekteer. Met die toe passing van die VSA-artikel op Suid-Afrika het dit egter geblyk dat dit weens verskeie probleme onmoontlik sou wees om die VSA-artikel direk op die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie toe te pas. Daar is toe van die VSA-artikel afgewyk en die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie is op 'n ander manier benader. Aangesien daar slegs riglyne bestaan waarvolgens konglomerate segmentele rapportering in hul finansiële state doen, is daar toe gepoog om te bepaal watter metodes die 44 konglomeraatmaatskappye volg en of daar enigsins 'n mate van eenvormigheid in hul segmentele rapportering bestaan. Nadat die verskillende bedryfsegmente van elk van die 44 maatskappye geïdentifiseer is, is elkeen se finansiêle state sorgvuldig ontleed sodat daar vasgestel kon word of daar enigsins finansiële rapportering in die verskillende bedryfsegmente plaasvind. Uit die ontleding van die onderskeie maatskappye is daar gevind dat 10 van die 44 maatskappye wat as konglomerate geselekteer is, wel finansiële syfers in segmentele verband rapporteer; 16 maatskappye doen geen segmentele rapportering nie; 7 maatskappye maak slegs in hul direkteursverslag melding van sekere segmentele inligting en 2 maatskappye rapporteer finansiële inligting in filiaalverband in plaas van bedryfsegmente. Uit die ondersoek blyk dit dat segmentele rapportering in minder as 50% van SuidAfrikaanse konglomeraatmaatskappye voorkom . Dit wil egter voorkom of maatskappybestuur hul van segmentele finansiële rapportering in hul jaarverslae weerhou uit vrees dat hul opposisiemaatskappye bevoordeel mag word .

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Newspaper headlines have continued to shock investors and society by exposing corporate scandals and by highlighting the overall decline in moral fibre of the modern employer and/or employee, locally and internationally. The King III Report on Governance aims to improve organisations’ sustainability by providing principles to enable sound decision-making for any organisation, irrespective of its size and/or structure. The objective of this research report was to investigate the challenges experienced with the application of these principles, with a specific focus on the guidance provided to enable the independence of directors. Firstly, this investigation aimed to establish whether there was a belief that the application of these principles would necessarily lead to sustainability; and secondly, whether the application of these principles were practically possible for all organisations, irrespective of their size and/or structure. The investigation was conducted by combining the results from a literature review on corporate governance with a specific focus on director independence and a survey conducted with twelve individuals involved in different capacities at board level. Based on the information obtained from the literature review and the results obtained from the questionnaire, overwhelming support exists that indicates that the application of the King III principles would contribute to improve the sustainability of an organisation. However, it was discovered that it would not necessarily be feasible for all companies, of any size and/or structure, to effectively apply these principles. Various recommendations were made to address the challenges identified for the effective application of the King III principles relating to the independence of directors.

Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mainstream investors are mostly interested in how they can benefit financially from a specific investment. Although this is the case, an increasing number of so-called responsible investors are also beginning to integrate environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) aspects into their investment analysis and ownership practices. Corporate governance compliance is often the first level of ESG interest for these investors. Previous researchers considered the relationship between corporate governance and various financial performance measures, but reported inconclusive evidence on the nature of the relationship. Even though the three King Reports provide a well-developed framework for corporate governance compliance in South Africa, no comprehensive academic study has previously been conducted on the above-mentioned relationship in the South African context. The primary objective of the current study was therefore to investigate the relationship between corporate governance and the financial performance of selected JSE industries. The chosen study period (20022010) coincided with the launch of the King II Report and included the 20072009 global financial crisis. A combination of convenience and judgement sampling was used to draw a sample from six JSE industries. In an attempt to reduce survivorship bias, the sample included both listed firms and firms that had delisted during the study period. The complete sample comprised 227 companies (1 417 annual observations). When the study commenced, there was a lack of reliable, readily available ESG data for JSE-listed firms. An existing corporate governance research instrument was therefore refined to develop standardised data on the corporate governance compliance of the selected firms. An annual corporate governance score (CGS) was compiled for each of the firms by means of content analysis of its annual reports. Five financial performance variables were considered, namely return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), earnings per share (EPS), total share return (TSR) and risk-adjusted abnormal return (alpha). The selection of these measures was based on previous research. The secondary financial data were sourced from the McGregor BFA database and the Bureau for Economic Research. The resulting panel dataset was analysed by means of various descriptive and inferential analyses. The descriptive statistics revealed an overall increasing corporate governance compliance trend. Both the disclosure and acceptability dimensions of the sample companies’ CGSs improved over time. The sample firms complied with approximately 68 per cent of the corporate governance criteria on average. The panel regression analysis showed a significant positive relationship between CGS and the accounting-based EPS ratio. Although this result is encouraging, it should be kept in mind that managers can have an influence on both these variables. On the other hand, a significant negative relationship was observed between the market-based TSR measure and CGS. The TSR measure is not adjusted for risk. Risk-adjusted abnormal returns were thus also estimated for four corporate governance-sorted portfolios. In a positive change of events, both the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and the FamaFrench three-factor estimations showed positive alphas for the portfolio consisting of firms with the highest CGSs. These encouraging results were observed for the overall study period and the period before May 2008. Investors could thus have benefitted, in risk-adjusted terms, by investing in the sample firms with high corporate governance compliance. In the period after May 2008, the FamaFrench three-factor estimations revealed that the risk-adjusted market-based performance of almost all the sample firms were negatively affected by the global financial crisis of the late 2000s. The reported alphas for this period were, however, not significant. Based on these results, the researcher recommends that directors, managers and shareholders should consider the valuable opportunities associated with sound corporate governance compliance, rather than merely regarding it as a “tick-box” obligation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoofstroombeleggers is veral geïnteresseerd in hoe hulle finansieel by ʼn spesifieke belegging kan baat. Alhoewel dit die geval is, begin ʼn toenemende aantal sogenaamde ‘verantwoordelike beleggers’ ook die omgewing, sosiale en korporatiewe bestuursaspekte (ESG-aspekte) in hulle beleggingsanalise en eienaarskapspraktyke integreer. Korporatiewe bestuursnakoming is dikwels die eerste vlak van ESG-belangstelling vir hierdie beleggers. Vorige navorsers het die verwantskap tussen korporatiewe bestuur en verskeie maatstawwe van finansiële prestasie ondersoek, maar het onbesliste resultate ten opsigte van die aard van die verhouding gerapporteer. Ongeag die drie King-verslae wat ʼn goed ontwikkelde raamwerk vir die nakoming van korporatiewe bestuur in Suid-Afrika verskaf, is daar tot dusver nog geen omvattende akademiese studie oor die bogenoemde verwantskap in Suid-Afrika gedoen nie. Die primêre doelstelling van hierdie studie was dus om die verwantskap tussen korporatiewe bestuur en die finansiële prestasie van JSE-genoteerde maatskappye te ondersoek. Die geselekteerde studie tydperk (2002-2010) het die wêreldwye finansiële krisis van 2007-2009 ingesluit en het saamgeval met die bekendstelling van die King II-verslag. ʼn Kombinasie van gerieflikheids- en oordeelkundige steekproefneming is gebruik om ʼn steekproef vanuit ses JSE-nywerhede te selekteer. In ʼn poging om oorlewingsydigheid te verminder, het dié steekproef sowel genoteerde maatskappye as maatskappye wat gedurende die studietydperk gedenoteer het, ingesluit. Die volledige steekproef het uit 227 maatskappye (1 417 jaarlikse waarnemings) bestaan. Met die aanvang van die studie was daar ʼn gebrek aan betroubare, geredelik beskikbare ESG-data vir JSE-genoteerde maatskappye. ʼn Bestaande navorsingsinstrument vir korporatiewe bestuursnakoming is dus verfyn om gestandaardiseerde data rakende die gekose maatskappye se korporatiewe bestuursnakoming te verkry. ʼn Jaarlikse korporatiewe bestuur telling (CGS) is deur middel van inhoudsanalise van die betrokke maatskappy se jaarstate vir elk van die maatskappye saamgestel. Vyf finansiële prestasie veranderlikes is oorweeg, naamlik ondernemingsrentabiliteit (ROA), rentabiliteit van ekwiteit (ROE), verdienste per aandeel (EPS), totale aandeelopbrengs (TSR) en risiko-aangepaste abnormale opbrengs (alfa). Die keuse van hierdie maatreëls was op vorige navorsing gegrond. Die sekondêre finansiële data was afkomstig van die McGregor BFA-databasis en die Buro vir Ekonomiese Ondersoek. Verskeie beskrywende en inferensiële analises is gebruik om die gevolglike paneeldatastel te ontleed. Die beskrywende statistiek het gedui op ʼn algeheel toenemende tendens in korporatiewe bestuursnakoming. Beide die bekendmaking- en aanvaarbaarheidsdimensies van die steekproef maatskappye se CGS’s het met verloop van tyd verbeter. Die steekproef maatskappye het gemiddeld aan ongeveer 68 persent van die korporatiewe bestuurskriteria voldoen. Die paneel regressie-analise het ʼn beduidende positiewe verwantskap tussen CGS en die rekeningkundig-gebaseerde EPS-verhoudingsgetal getoon. Alhoewel die resultaat bemoedigend is, moet daar in gedagte gehou word dat bestuurders ʼn invloed op beide hierdie veranderlikes kan hê. Aan die ander kant is ʼn beduidende negatiewe verband tussen die markgebaseerde TSR-maatstaf en CGS waargeneem. Die TSR-maatstaf is nie vir risiko aangepas nie. Risiko-aangepaste abnormale opbrengste is dus ook bepaal vir vier korporatiewe bestuursgesorteerde portefeuljes. In ʼn positiewe wending het beide die kapitaal-bate prysmodel (CAPM) en die FamaFrench drie-faktor beramings positiewe alfas vir die portefeulje bestaande uit maatskappye met die hoogste CGS’s getoon. Hierdie bemoedigende resultate is vir die volle studietydperk en die tydperk voor Mei 2008 gerapporteer. Beleggers kon dus, in risiko-aangepaste terme, baat gevind het deur in die steekproef maatskappye met hoë korporatiewe bestuursnakoming te belê. In die tydperk ná Mei 2008 het die Fama-French drie-faktor beramings aangetoon dat die risiko-aangepaste markgebaseerde prestasie van byna al die maatskappye in die steekproef negatief geraak is deur die wêreldwye finansiële krisis van die laat 2000’s. Die gerapporteerde alfas vir hierdie tydperk was egter nie beduidend nie. Na aanleiding van hierdie resultate beveel die navorser aan dat direkteure, bestuurders en aandeelhouers die waardevolle geleenthede wat met standvastige korporatiewe bestuursnakoming verband hou oorweeg eerder as om dit bloot as ʼn “afmerk”-verpligting te beskou.

M.Com. (International Accounting) / This minor dissertation assesses the extent to which South African public companies that are engaged in agricultural activities are complying with the recognition, measurement and disclosure requirements of IAS 41, Agriculture, as well as whether they are providing any additional voluntary disclosures about their biological assets. Sixteen large South African public companies with material holdings of biological assets in their statements of financial position were selected for analysis. The study used the last published annual financial statements for reporting periods beginning before 1 January 2013 in order to assess compliance with IAS 41 prior to the implementation of IFRS 13. The financial statements of these companies were analysed to identify the existence of both the compulsory disclosures listed in IAS 41, as well as the extent of any voluntary disclosures relating to their biological assets. The results of the analysis show that the majority of South African agricultural companies are using fair value to measure their biological assets at initial recognition as well as at the end of each reporting period. None of the companies, however, is using the quoted price in an active market as the fair value for these assets, implying that companies need to incur additional costs to obtain fair valuations which comply with the requirements of IAS 41. While companies also state that they are using fair value to value their agricultural produce, none of them is providing any further information on how the fair values for their agricultural produce ar e calculated. Most of these companies are complying with the compulsory disclosure requirements of IAS 41, and are also providing certain of the recommended disclosures listed in IAS 41. In total, companies with material holdings of plants as biological assets are complying more fully with the compulsory disclosure requirements of IAS 41 than those with livestock. These companies are also providing more detailed voluntary disclosures about their biological asset holdings than the companies with material holdings of livestock as biological assets. The study concludes that the measurement methods used by companies to value their biological assets and the nature and extent of both compulsory and voluntary disclosures of these assets are sector-specific. This is consistent with the findings of previous research. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing a baseline on the financial reporting of agricultural entities in South Africa prior to the implementation of IFRS 13.

Thesis (M.M. (Finance & Investment)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, 2016 / Corporate bonds issued by the four major commercial banks in South Africa, which account for 61% of the market, and their respective earning announcements in the period 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2014 were used to analyse the reaction of daily corporate bond prices to the earnings announcements of South African companies. The reaction of the daily corporate bond prices to earnings announcements was empirically analysed using cross sectional regressions. We concluded that on average the South African corporate bond market incorporates any new information from earnings announcements. We also investigated if the asymmetrical payoff structure of corporate bonds causes daily prices to be more sensitive to bad earnings announcements than good earnings announcements. Our investigation found that daily corporate bond prices are insensitive to both bad and good earnings announcements. Lastly, we analysed if the lack of infrastructure and liquidity in the corporate bond market hinders corporate bonds in incorporating information relative to the stock market, which has better infrastructure and liquidity. We observed that both corporate bonds and stocks on average incorporate new information from earnings announcements, irrespective of illiquidity and the absence of adequate infrastructure in the South African corporate bond market, / DM2016

A Research Report submitted to the Facultv of Commerce, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Commerce. / This Research Report examines the determinants of South African industrial firms' capital structures. The report attempts to evaluate if a firm's preference for equity or debt capital can be attributed to specific variables which may reflect its industry profile or operating structure. A literature review, discussing both perfect and imperfect capital market conditions, is included in order to determine if the premise of "variable influence" has academic support. The variables found to have an influence on (non South African company) capital structure by authors examined in the review, are / Andrew Chakane 2018

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management specialising in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation Johannesburg, 2016 / This study was aimed at investigating what the antecedents are for achieving financial success in post mergers and acquisitions, particularly in the field of commercial property in an emerging economy. This study sought to understand the reasoning and the value addition behind mergers and acquisitions activities in the real estate sector. This paper used empirical research to conduct the investigation of the hypothesised relationship between financial performance and three key independent variables, namely; corporate entrepreneurial culture, resource sharing and infrastructure support. An analysis by testing the hypotheses that predict the relationships of the variables was undertaken through various statistical models. Mergers and acquisitions often take place in entrepreneurially oriented organisations as a means of increasing competitiveness, productivity and growth, therefore this paper tests the financial performance post mergers and acquisitions transactions. It also tests the role of corporate entrepreneurship and corporate culture (corporate entrepreneurial culture) specifically on the impact that it has on financial performance. Understanding the financial performance relationship with other variables is significantly important because it is argued by some researchers that the benefits of mergers and acquisitions sturdily enhance revenue growth through market share, create economies of scale through cost efficient methodologies and often produce tax gains. This paper tests the validity of these theories. / MT2016

Thesis (M.M. (Finance & Investment)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, 2016 / The study revisits the topic of post-acquisition performance of M&A in South Africa. Unlike preceding studies the emphasis was on target firms rather than acquiring firm and on operating performance rather than on share price reaction to M&A announcements. The study explores how operating performance is affected by BEE related M&A and non-BEE related M&A transactions. Operating performance is measured using EVA®. Economic Value Added (EVA®) reveals that target firms experienced a decline in post deal operating performance following an M&A transaction regardless of whether the M&A deal was motivated by BEE or not. The study also found that the decline in operating performance was larger for conventional (non-BEE) M&A transactions relative to BEE linked M&A transactions, though the decline was not statistically significant. Accounting based corporate performance measurement methods used to supplement the EVA® exhibit a marginal and insignificant increased in performance when the average five year post-acquisition returns are compared to the average five year pre-acquisition returns. Overall, the economic performance of target firms declined suggesting that target firms do not benefit significantly from the M&A. / GR2018