I’m frequently asked about the “right” price to put in the letter of intent. As you will know, the LOI is an important milestone in the M&A process, because it establishes a “gentleman’s agreement” before the formal deal is settled. You have yet to compete due diligence at this stage, and figuring out the right …
Tag: David Braun
The Dangers of Getting Swept Away In the Excitement of a Deal
“The danger with a mergers-and-acquisitions boom is that chief executives could allow themselves to get carried away by the thrill of the hunt, reducing their focus on internal investment projects that might have a better chance of bearing fruit,” says the New York Time’s Dealbook column. M&A activity has reached record highs and shows no …
Valeant Seeks More Acquisitions
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International is determined to grow through acquisitions. Already actively pursuing a deal with Allergan, the maker of Botox, Valeant is reportedly seeking another contact lens company. CEO Michael Pearson said the company “will not be content to remain the No. 4 global player in the contact lens industry.” Valeant has a history of …
The Strategy Behind the AbbVie-Shire Acquisition
Here’s a quick thought about the Abbvie – Shire transaction that’s received so much recent attention because of the decision to reincorporate in Ireland once the deal is completed. Tax inversions are in vogue and a hot topic in the media. While the tax benefits of an inversion certainly are important in this acquisition, that’s …
So Many Choices, So Little Time!
Choosing the best option for growth. More often than not we find our clients have too many choices rather than too few. The difficulty lies in prioritizing options and determining which one is the best path forward. You may find yourself in a similar situation. With so many options how can you choose? Although it …
M&A – The Route to Success?
The polyolefins industry, like so many others, is evolving significantly. Growth in emerging markets and Asia has skyrocketed while European and North American markets have matured. Last week I was invited to speak at the Future of Polyolefins Conference 2014 in Dusseldorf, Germany, where top executives from key industry players such as Borealis AG and …
Pharmaceuticals Refocus and Consolidate
Pharmaceutical companies are using acquisition to become “pointy,” or more focused. Two recent examples are Bayer and Merck. Bayer is focusing on over the counter medications by acquiring Merck’s consumer care business for $14.2 billion. On the other hand, Merck has become more streamlined through divestment. As I’ve mentioned before, although divestment means becoming smaller, …
The Greatest Hurdle Facing Tech Mergers
The biggest tech M&A disasters were the Time Warner-AOL $350 billion merger and Google’s $12.3 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility. In my observations, the greatest hurdle facing tech mergers is integration. Even where the strategy of the acquisition is solid, if the integration of the two workforces and assets is not executed properly, it will fail. Even …
Expanding in a Declining Market
Verso Paper announced that it would acquire NewPage Holdings in a deal worth $1.4 billion. NewPage rejected a similar offer from Verso in 2012, also valued at $1.4 billion. So what changed this time around? Quite simply, it’s the environment: Both paper companies realize the paper market is shrinking and that’s not about to change …
Capstone Builds Michelman-Maruyoshi Chemical Joint Venture
January 13, 2014 (McLean, VA) – Capstone Strategic, Inc., a leading management consulting firm specializing in strategic growth, announced today that Michelman and Maruyoshi Chemical have entered into a joint venture, Maruyoshi Michelman Co. Ltd. Michelman is a global developer of water-based coatings headquartered in Cincinnati, OH. Maruyoshi is a specialty waterborne polyolefin emulsions and chemical …
