We examine how an M&A advisor’s position in the network of investment banks affects its ability to create value for acquirers in takeover transactions. We show that acquirers enlisting the services of more centrally positioned M&A advisors enjoy higher announcement abnormal returns and pay lower takeover premiums. Consistent with the idea that central network positions convey an information advantage, we find that the effects are stronger for acquirers facing greater target information asymmetry and for M&A advisors depending more on networks for target-specific information. The information advantage primarily comes from network contacts that had previously assisted the targets in equity issuance. Centrally positioned advisors charge premium fees; network banks appear to enjoy a significant advantage in the competition for future co-advisory appointments.

We examine whether analysts' forecast properties deter inefficient labor investment decisions. Using accuracy and dispersion as analysts' forecast properties, we find that more accurate and less dispersed forecasts are associated with less inefficient corporate labor investments. Utilizing Regulation Fair Disclosure (Reg FD) as an exogenous variation to analysts' forecast activities, we find a causal relationship between analysts' forecast properties and labor investment inefficiency. We also find that more accurate and less dispersed forecasts decrease labor cost stickiness. Our results are consistent with the view that analysts' forecast properties enhance the information environment, which, in turn, improves corporate labor investment decisions.