If 70% of Acquisitions Fail, Why Even Try?

With a 70% failure rate for acquisitions, it seems like the odds are against you from the beginning. Before you get scared off, however, let’s take a closer look at what that 70% means.

The 70% failure rate is mainly based on large, publicly traded transactions because large transactions must be reported to the SEC, and information on public companies is generally available. In addition, these large transactions tend to make the news more often since people are fascinated by massive deals involving well-known brands.

Despite this focus on large acquisitions, there are hundreds of smaller, unreported transactions involving middle-market companies and privately held businesses.

We call these types of deals “taking small bites of the apple.” Instead of huge, transformative deals, which tend to be a bit difficult to swallow, smaller, strategic acquisitions achieve a higher rate of success.

Acquisitions are a powerful tool for sparking growth and may be the only way for you to reach your goals. Acquiring smaller companies does not completely eliminate your risk, but conducting multiple, smaller acquisitions, enables you to take manageable steps to executing your growth strategy.

As with any business initiative, you must take some risk to reap the rewards. Following a carefully planned strategy and a proven process will help minimize your risk and optimize the success of your acquisition.