“Keep your pipeline full,” I often tell clients when speaking about their acquisition prospects. By this I mean that in pursuing M&A you should research 75 to 100 companies. That’s a lot of companies and research, which of course you must record in an appropriate manner. How can you keep track of all your data? …
Tag: Mergers and Acquisitions
Merger Madness: Three Tips for Success
In 2013, we saw interesting mergers & acquisitions across multiple industries, ranging from hot tech deals like Yahoo’s $1.1 billion acquisition of Tumblr to the rescue of favorite food brand Twinkies from bankruptcy by Metropolous & Co. and Apollo Global Management. While the potential synergies of the two companies are always laid out, not much is said …
New Healthcare Trend: Private Health Exchanges
Healthcare is a hot industry for both PE and strategic buyers as they navigate new regulatory issues posed by the Affordable Care Act. According to Reuters, healthcare was the second largest industry in the U.S. by deal value for the third quarter of 2013. The New York Times reports the number of private exchanges has …
Signs You May Be Buying the Wrong Company
Buying the right company is essential, but it is difficult. It may be easier to eliminate the “wrong” companies – prospects with glaring due diligence issues such as theft or lawsuits, or even more subjective issues like a poor cultural fit. However, the decision is not always so black and white. How can you know …
Sharing Successful Acquisitions with the Chief Executives Club
The Chief Executives Club of Rhode Island has invited me to speak at its breakfast meeting on November 7 in Providence, Rhode Island. The club, whose members are senior executives, annually hosts 10 of these meetings, where America’s top business thought leaders and authors share their views on a wide variety of leadership topics. I …
Do You Need a M&A Advisor?
From my perspective of largely successful acquisitions, most acquisitions end in failure because they are missing a third-party advisor. A third-party advisor can play an irreplaceable role on your acquisition team as an ‘‘outside insider’’ who can unearth hidden intelligence, resolve stubborn conflicts, help cooler heads prevail, and maintain a strategic perspective from beginning to …
Successfully Integrating Different Cultures
Cultural alignment while integrating two companies is a hot topic in the M&A world. For instance, CFO.com recently quoted Jonathan Chadwick as saying, “The number-one reason I think deals fail is because there was not an agreement or a matching of cultures.” Should you have any doubts, read about Kidder-Peabody inside of GE. Those cultures …
Key Insights from “M&A as Competitive Advantage”
By John Dearing, Managing Director McKinsey & Company recently published an article on using M&A as a tool to give your company a competitive advantage. The article addresses some key aspects of M&A we find important at Capstone. You should develop your strategy first when approaching M&A and always have a full pipeline of acquisition …
How Businesses Can Prepare for the Future During the Shutdown
As the U.S. government shutdown continues into its second week, business leaders are becoming more concerned with its effect on the economy. The Wall Street Journal reports limited signs of economic damage, but that a prolonged shutdown may cause more widespread damage. According to economists, a long shutdown risks “restraining key parts of the economy …
How Acquisitions Can Help Small Businesses Grow
Did you know about 97% of acquisitions are small to mid-sized companies? Acquisition is an effective tool that can be used by companies of any size, not just those in the Fortune 500. To see how, watch my interview with Matthew Lesko. When we think of mergers and acquisitions, we often only think of mergers …
