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>> could this end up being a net win for the original company?

Yes. Obviously the original companies consider it a net win, otherwise they wouldn't buy the clone.

They value the clone more than the money they're paying for it.

That doesn't make it a net win. The fact that, given that the clone exists, they prefer buying it to not buying it doesn't mean they prefer the clone existing to it not existing.

Would you argue that a company should ever consider the fact that other companies might prefer them not to exist when they're thinking about what market to target and how to target it, though?

I'm fine with being negative on the approach of literally stealing the details of all that the incumbent does, but as a rule, I don't think that it's really a problem if an acquirer wishes the acquiree didn't exist at all, isn't that the reason for a large number of acquisitions?

No company would choose to have any competitors.

But in a viable market, there will be competition.

Anyway, I'm talking about the transaction itself, which they consider a net win, otherwise they wouldn't participate.

The only time a party participates in a transaction that they don't consider a net win is when they're forced to participate (i.e. they're being robbed or paying taxes).

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