Reference no: EM132596276

On February 4, 2000, Vodafone AirTouch PLC, the world's largest wireless communications company, agreed to buy Mannesmann AG in a $180.0 billion stock swap. At that time, the deal was the largest transaction in M&A history. After a protracted and heated contest with Mannesmann's management as well as German labor unions and politicians, the deal finally closed on March 30, 2000. In this battle of titans, Klaus Esser, CEO of Mannesmann, the German cellular phone giant, managed to squeeze nearly twice as much money as first proposed out of Vodafone, the British cellular phone powerhouse. This transaction illustrates the intricacies of international transactions in countries in which hostile takeovers are viewed negatively and antitakeover laws generally favor target companies.

Do you think the use of all stock, rather than cash or a combination of cash and stock, to acquire Mannesmann helped or hurt Vodafone AirTouch's shareholders? Explain your answer.