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This paper examines whether financial buyers are more likely to initiate takeovers of inefficient firms. We show that they indeed are and thus conclude that takeovers by financial buyers play a potentially beneficial role in the allocation of corporate assets in the US. economy. Our analysis of determinants of takeovers initiated by financial buyers uses an application of the methodology developed in Trimbath, Frydman and Frydman (2001). In order to illustrate efficiency enhancements introduced by financial buyers, we select Forstmann Little’s acquisition of General Instrument for a brief case study. We show that their aggressive programs of cost management substantially improved the efficiency of General Instrument. Moreover, it allowed General Instrument to expand research and development to become the global leader in high definition television.

The liquidity component from financial analysis has been found to be an important predictor of a firm's financial well being. Altman's credit worthiness and financial viability system uses, among six other financial measures, the current ratio as a liquidity discriminant variable. The Altman system itself has had considerable success in the prediction of corporate bankruptcy. Altman reported that the system correctly predicted bankruptcy 93% of the time using financial statements one period prior to failure and 87% with financial statements two periods prior. The Value Line Investment Survey also contains a measure of financial strength that incorporates a liquidity measure.