The Art of M&A Due diligence is today's most useful guidebook for uncovering problems and inconsistencies while they are still manageable.

How can you be sure you are buying the company you think you are? Are you sure it is as good as the seller says? How can you be certain unexpected costs and obligations will not suddenly appear once you are the owner and responsible for them? How best can you arm yourself for the negotiations? Have you worked out precisely what you are going to do with it once it is yours? How do you set the priorities for change to recoup the premium you have paid for it? The answer to all these questions, and many more, lies with effective due diligence. Due diligence is one of the most important but least well understood aspects of the acquisition process. It is not, as many believe, a chore to be left to the accountants and lawyers. To get the best from it, due diligence has to be properly planned and professionally managed. This book is a comprehensive manual on getting due diligence right. It is a uniquely comprehensive guide, covering all aspects of the process from financial, legal and commercial due diligence right through to environmental and intellectual property due diligence. There are also useful chapters on working with advisers and managing due diligence projects. It also includes a number of checklists to help ensure that the right questions are asked.

This nuts-and-bolts guide examines all aspects of an M&A due diligence--from coming to the decision to acquire a company, to who should be on the due diligence team, to the actual process and the final report and post-closing follow up. It advocates a focus on both risk mitigation and shareholder value creation, and emphasizes a holistic approach that spans from planning to post-acquisition integration. The tentative contents is: (1) Introduction; (2) Planning for value creation: growth strategy; (3) Engagement and pursuit; (4) Preparing for due diligence; (5) Validation of value: performing due diligence; (6) Assessment of due diligence results; (7) Optimizing value: post diligence negotiation; (8) Extracting value: post-transaction integration.

The most trusted M&A guidebook available--updated for today's extreme-risk world of business. Major financial scandals, geopolitical upheaval, technological advances, rapid globalization . . . The world--and the way business is done--has changed drastically in the 10 short years since the original publication of this book. As a result, the already tedious M&A process has become exponentially more complex. The most trusted guidebook of its kind, The Art of M&A Due Diligence helps you uncover problems and inconsistencies in an M&A deal while they're still manageable. You’ll find everything you need to mitigate all types of traditional risk—financial (key ratios, new GAAP-IFRS standards), operational (background checks, on-site visits), transactional (verification, checking warranties), and legal (intellectual property, environmental law). This new edition also addresses complications introduced over the past decade by including: New information about the use of electronic data rooms for due diligence New focus on the role of International Accounting Standards New tools for Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance New regulations concerning the environment and social issues New case law of interest, including key decisions of the Delaware Chancery Court and Delaware Supreme Court The fear of risk in an M&A deal is rational, but it shouldn't prevent you from moving ahead. A well-conceived, carefully executed merger or acquisition can be extraordinarily enriching for both buyer and seller. This step-by-step guidebook is all you need to know where to look—and what to look for--when conducting M&A due diligence.

This collection of checklists is designed to make your due diligence process as smooth and as effective as possible. They cover both the commercial due diligence process - in other words, how can you be sure you are buying the company you think you are? Are you sure it is as good as the seller says? How can you be certain unexpected costs and obligations will not suddenly appear once you are the owner and responsible for them? How best can you arm yourself for the negotiations? As well as the due diligence process itself - making sure you manage the risk aspects of any acquisition.

Seize the competitive advantage with today’s most powerful strategic tool—M&A “Given the influence of technology, globalization, and regulatory change, M&A will continue to shape our industries. For most companies, therefore, the consideration of M&A in strategy is now fundamental.” –from the Introduction to Part I The Art of M&A Strategy is exactly what you need to build mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures into your overall business strategy—to make M&A a competitive advantage and avoid landing on the long list of M&A failures. Experts in the field of M&A, Smith and Lajoux demystify this otherwise complex subject by taking you through the types of M&A strategy and the key steps to successful M&A strategy development and implementation. The Art of M&A Strategy is conveniently organized into three sections: Part I presents a range of possible corporate strategy situations and provides the role and rationale for M&A in each, such as building and managing a portfolio, participating in industry consolidation, spurring corporate growth, and using acquisitions to create “real options.” Part II outlines how to determine the role of M&A in your strategy—taking into consideration industry context, competitive imperatives, and strategy options—and explains how to find and screen partners, decide whether to buy or sell, and engage the board of directors in M&A decisions. Part III covers M&A as a sustained corporate program, particularly in the context of international growth, outlining the most strategic aspects of post-merger integration, describing how to use advisors throughout the process, and examining core competencies required for successful M&A programs. The authors illuminate the purpose and process of applying M&A with real-world success stories involving Cisco, GE, Google, and many other companies that have leveraged M&A for strategic success. Use The Art of M&A Strategy to create a powerful strategy position for success in today’s changing business environment and to seize and hold competitive advantage.

The easy way to make smart business transactions Are you a business owner, investor, venture capitalist, or member of a private equity firm looking to grow your business by getting involved in a merger with, or acquisition of, another company? Are you looking for a plain-English guide to how mergers and acquisitions can affect your investments? Look no further. Mergers & Acquisitions For Dummies explains the entire process step by step?from the different types of transactions and structures to raising funds and partnering. Plus, you'll get expert advice on identifying targets, business valuation, doing due diligence, closing the purchase agreement, and integrating new employees and new ways of doing business. Step-by-step techniques and real-world advice for making successful mergers and acquisitions Covers international laws and regulations How to take advantage of high-value deals Going beyond the case studies of other books, Mergers & Acquisitions For Dummies is your one-stop reference for making business growth a success.