While not providing absolute confirmation of a leak in an individual deal, significant pre-announcement trading across a large sample of deals can be used to examine patterns and trends in leaking across time periods and geographies.

This session at Transaction Advisors M&A Conference at the University of Chicago looked at how brands are managed in M&A; considered common integration missteps involving brands and their cultural identity; explored the ways high performing acquirers manage acquired brands; reviewed variations in vertical and horizontal M&A strategies and the impact on brand frameworks; and discussed methods for holding acquired brands / defensive value.