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FTC Bureau of Economics Working Papers are preliminary materials circulated to stimulate discussion and critical comment. The analyses and conclusions set forth are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of other members of the Bureau of Economics, other Commission staff, or the Commission itself. References in publications to FTC Bureau of Economics Working Papers by FTC economists (other than acknowledgment by a writer that he has access to such unpublished materials) should be cleared with the author to protect the tentative character of these papers.

Working Papers are in PDF format. If you have trouble accessing one of these papers, please email ReportRequests@ftc.gov.

The Determinants of Plant Exit: The Evolution of the U.S. Refining Industry

Authors
David W. Meyer, Christopher T. Taylor
Working Paper
328
Published In
Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade

This paper analyzes factors that affect the exit and expansion of U.S. petroleum refineries using plant-level capacity data from 1947 to 2013. We find that larger refineries are less likely to close

Tax Pass-Through in Gasoline and Diesel Fuel: The 2003 Washington State Nickel Funding Package Increase

Authors
Louis Silvia and Christopher T. Taylor
Working Paper
324
Published In
B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy

This paper considers a previously unexamined increase in excise taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel that were part of Washington State’s Nickel Funding Package of 2003.  We fail to reject full pass

Merger Policy at the Margin: Western Refining’s Acquisition of Giant Industries

Authors
Nicholas Kreisle
Working Paper
319
Published In
Review of Industrial Organization

In May 2007 the Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission failed to win a preliminary injunction in U.S. District Court that would have blocked the merger of two refiners that served Albuquerque, NM and surrounding

Estimating the Effect of Entry on Generic Drug Prices Using Hatch-Waxman Exclusivity

Authors
Luke M. Olson, Brett W. Wendling
Working Paper
317
Published In
Review of Industrial Organization

Generic drugs play an important role in disciplining drug prices and controlling rising drug costs. However, the effect that an additional generic drug competitor has on drug prices is difficult to

For-Profit Status & Industry Evolution in Health Care Markets: Evidence from the Dialysis Industry

Authors
Nathan E. Wilson
Working Paper
314
Published In
International Journal of Health Economics and Management

Over the last 25 years, for-profit facilities have supplanted non-profits as the modal providers of hemodialysis treatment to American sufferers of end-stage renal disease. To understand what may

Do Retail Mergers Affect Competition?  Evidence from Grocery Retailing

Authors
Daniel Hosken, Luke M. Olson, Loren K. Smith
Working Paper
313
Published In
Journal of Economics and Management Strategy

This study estimates the price effects of horizontal mergers in the U.S. grocery retailing industry. We examine fourteen regions affected by mergers including both highly concentrated and relatively

Local Market Structure and Strategic Organizational Form Choices: Evidence from Gasoline Stations

Authors
Nathan Wilson
Working Paper
311
Published In
International Journal of the Economics of Business

An extensive literature shows that agency issues and transactions costs influence vertical integration. Another mature literature indicates that market structure influences competitive behavior