In my last post I explained why following a process is critical to M&A success. If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, please check it out. This post will further detail our systematic acquisition process, the Roadmap to AcquisitionsSM developed from first-hand experience working with strategic buyers. There are three main phases: …
Tag: Roadmap
The Secret to Successful Mergers & Acquisitions
I’m often asked, “What is the key to a successful acquisition?” I have one simple answer: Have a process. You can compare the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) process to the hiring process. Before we even begin interviewing candidates, we develop a job description, whom the employee will report to, when they will start, performance metrics, …
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 …
The Greatest Risk You Face in Acquisitions
When you acquire a company, the biggest risk you face in the unknown. You put a potentially large sum of money down for results that are not guaranteed. Whether you are acquiring a company for a new technological capability, to expand your geographic footprint, or for its complementary product line – there’s always the possibility …
Pfizer and Allergan Break Up: Lessons in Staying Ahead of M&A Hazards
Pfizer and Allergan have announced that they are abandoning their $160 billion merger. This resulted from a political storm around tax inversions, a technique whereby US companies relocate abroad to avoid the high US corporate tax rates. The Treasury department took action to insert new rules that effectively killed the financial benefits of the deal. …
The Best Advice for M&A Success
In my over 20 years of pursing strategic, not-for-sale acquisitions for clients, the most important piece of advice I have is: be prepared. It may sound simple, but I cannot stress enough how critical preparation is to M&A success. This applies to every stage of the Roadmap to Acquisitions, our M&A process, from initial strategy …
How You Can Manage the M&A Process: Tools for Success
What tools do you use to help manage the M&A Process? I was recently asked this during our M&A Express videocast “Why You Need a Roadmap.” There are two key ways I would answer that question. First the macro view. Look at the big picture and develop — or adopt — an end-to-end process. This …
How Can You Manage Mergers and Acquisitions Risk?
Acquisitions are one of the fastest ways to grow, but they do come with their own set of risks. Industry numbers show that about 70% of acquisitions fail, so executives are highly motivated to mitigate their risks when purchasing a company. This can be done in a number of ways. Usually we think about hiring …
How Long Does an Acquisition Take?
As you consider acquisition as a route to growth, you may be wondering: How long will the whole process take? This is one of the most frequent questions I hear when laying out an acquisition plan. The answer is never easy to pin down. I’ve worked on acquisitions that were completed in a month, while …
