We examine the impact of cross-border mergers and acquisitions on a target firm’s risk and return based on a sample of partially acquired target firms in 18 emerging countries between 1990 and 2007. We find that cross-border acquisitions significantly reduce both the total and downside risk of the target firms and that this reduction is more significant in acquisitions undertaken by bidders from countries that have better protection of investor rights. We also show that this risk reduction improves the risk adjusted performance of these firms. Thus, we conclude that cross-border partial acquisitions benefit an emerging market investors’ risk-return trade off by reducing investment risk and increasing investment returns; policy makers in emerging markets may be well advised to open their markets for partial cross-border acquisitions.