All companies, even those that are profitable, face pressure from today’s economic environment. Whether its regulatory hurdles, increased competition, geopolitical risk, or new technology, the world today is constantly changing. Unfortunately, many companies realize this too late and “suddenly” find themselves in an impossible situation that is incredibly difficult to reverse. The best way to …
Category: M&A and External Growth
How to Bridge the Price Gap in Acquisitions
Price is often the number one focus in mergers and acquisitions and everyone is eager to get down to the numbers. However, as you might expect, buyers and sellers have very different expectations on price, which can lead to friction between the two parties. On the one hand, most sellers plan to offer their business …
Why Acquisition Is Not All about Price: Amazon Acquires Souq
Many are convinced that the buyer with the most money always wins the deal. Although many acquisitions by financial acquirers and strategic buyers are driven by the desire to grow revenue and the company’s bottom line, it is possible to win an acquisition without offering the most amount of money. A successful acquisition is about …
4 Reasons to Consider “Not-for-Sale” Acquisitions
Think you can only acquire a for-sale company? Think again. Although it may seem impossible to buy a “not-for-sale” company, a company that is “not-for-sale” simply means it is not actively thinking about selling. However if the owner receives a compelling offer, they might change their mind. Here are four reasons why a not-for-sale acquisition …
Going with Your Gut: A Common M&A Mistake
“We’ll know it when we see it,” many leaders say when asked to define their ideal acquisition. Unfortunately, this approach is a recipe for disaster. How will you know if it is the right company for acquisition based solely on your gut instinct? This is not how we, as business leaders, approach other decisions so …
Pursuing Not-For-Sale Acquisitions: 3 Ways to Change an Owner’s “No” to “Yes”
“I’m not interested in selling my business right now.” “We already have a strategic plan in place.” “We are already talking to another buyer.” “Why should I listen to you? I get asked to sell all the time.” “I may sell in a few years when my company has a higher value.” “Who are you????” …
The Key to Successful First Meetings: Putting an Owner at Ease
Owners are usually skeptical or defensive when asked about selling their “not-for-sale” company. In fact, many will hang up or refuse to consider your offer. If you do manage to break through and get the owner to agree to a first meeting, your job is to put them at ease, dissuade fears and communicate the …
Acquisitions – Go Big or Go Home?
You don’t have to “go big or go home” to successfully grow your company through M&A. A small, well-executed acquisition that targets a specific need can sometimes be more powerful than a multi-billion dollar consolidation. Let’s take a look at a recent example from the news. Earlier this month, Conagra announced it would acquire Thanasi …
What Went Wrong? Turning Acquisition Failure into Success
“We did an acquisition about 15 years ago. It did not go well…I guess you could say we are still ‘recovering,’ the CEO of a family-owned business recently shared with me during a meeting. She went on to explain there were a number of integration issues and other challenges that cropped up post-closing that the …
“Heightened” Dealmaking Predicted for 2017
It seems like 2017 will be a strong year for acquisitions. A new report highlights a number of factors that could drive activity this year including the record levels of cash held by private equity firms and a favorable lending environment for borrowers. Potential changes to U.S. tax policy under the new administration could reduce …
