The decision to carry out a merger or acquisition is certainly a risky one, not least because of the number of variables influencing the final outcome. It is also a decision frequently based on the wrong objectives and an incorrect evaluation process. With this in mind, this important new book offers solutions for reducing the high percentage of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) that fail. It adopts a normative approach, using theoretical analysis to show what managers could and should do to increase shareholders’ value through successful M&A strategies. It also explores the conditions that are suitable for favouring a certain type of M&A (horizontal, vertical or diversified) over the others. In conclusion, the book presents case studies of successful M&A strategies providing a link between theory and practice.

Today's corporate deal makers face a conundrum: Though 70% of major acquisitions fail, it's nearly impossible to build a world-class company without doing deals. In Mastering the Merger, David Harding and Sam Rovit argue that a laserlike focus on just four key imperatives--before executives finalize the deal--can dramatically improve the odds of M&A success. Based on more than 30 years of in-the-trenches work on thousands of deals across a range of industries--and supplemented by extensive Bain & Co. research--Harding and Rovit reveal that the best M&A performers channel their efforts into (1) targeting deals that advance the core business; (2) determining which deals to close and when to walk away; (3) identifying where to integrate--and where not to; and (4) developing contingency plans for when deals inevitably stray. Top deal makers also favor a succession of smaller deals over complex "megamergers"--and essentially institutionalize a success formula over time. Helping executives zero in on what matters most in the complex world of M&A, Mastering the Merger offers a blueprint for the decisions and strategies that will beat the odds.

'One of the best new Corporate Finance books.'BookAuthorityThe survival and prosperity of any corporation over the long term depend on the company's ability to grow and develop through a process of investment, restructuring, and redeployment. Since the late 19th century, mergers and acquisitions (M&As) have become an essential vehicle for corporate change, fuelled by synergies that could arise from expansion of sales and earnings, reduction in cost, and lower taxes and cost of capital.M&A transactions, however, are complex and risky and are affected by the state business cycle, financial conditions, regulations, and technology. Approximately two-thirds of all M&A deals fail. This book seeks to provide an effective and comprehensive framework, predominantly embedded in corporate finance, for achieving greater success. Written by academics and practitioners, it integrates business strategies with formal analysis relating to M&A deal making, providing a coherent statement on M&A by utilizing scholarly work with best practices by industry.The authors provide extensive analytical review and applications of the following critical M&A issues: valuation, leveraged buyouts, payment methods and their implications, tax issues, corporate governance, and the regulatory environment, including antitrust in M&A. The book globalizes the M&A model by extending it to cross-border business, risk and select hedging methods, and addresses postmerger integration.This book is intended as a reading text for a course in M&A for undergraduates and MBA programs, and for practitioners as a handbook.

Every company faces the inevitable challenge: stagnate or grow. One of the fastest ways for small- and mid-size companies to expand is through acquisition. Purchasing another company can seem daunting--but when done right, it can deliver outstanding rewards. Successful Acquisitions supplies the key information that business leaders need to know about finding and buying companies. Written by an M&A expert with more than $1 billion in transactions under his belt, the book's practical and comprehensive approach integrates all the moving pieces into a logical step-by-step process that covers: * The art and science of researching companies * Building and balancing an acquisition team * Valuation tips that look beyond the obvious * The importance of "the seller's equation" * Developing a negotiation platform * How to be tough and still protect the buyer-seller relationship * Guidelines for structuring an airtight deal * The letter of intent, due diligence, purchase agreement, funding, and other essentials * Bringing the deal to a timely close * A 100-day plan for making integration a success It's all here. From building the foundation to growing the relationships to cementing the deal, Successful Acquisitions is a complete roadmap to buying companies and achieving proactive strategic growth.

Mergers and acquisitions are happening in record numbers, with billions of dollars changing hands and major corporate deals making headlines every day. But the harsh reality is that most deals fail. Why? Because the companies didn't plan, didn't prepare, and didn't perform up to expectations. They didn't think beyond the deal. This revolutionary guide--written by two top consultants who've worked with some of the biggest companies in the world--goes beyond other books on the subject by giving you a complete, systematic “framework” of hands-on strategies for every step of the process. No matter which side of the acquisition you're on, what stage of the game you're at, or whatever level of management you're in, you will learn how to create new value for yourself, recognize new opportunities for your team--and inspire unprecedented levels of performance for your organization. If you've got “the urge to merge” and the need to succeed, Beyond the Deal offers a wealth of ready-to-use tools and techniques, including: 6 essential keys to a smooth integration 4 steps to making a “quantum leap” in performance 3 common mistakes that lessen value 3 surefire ways to get your team on board Dozens of case examples, quizzes, checklists, and more In addition to step-by-step planning strategies, the book shows you how to assess a company's full potential and--more specifically--how to motivate full-time workers as they face new challenges, take on new responsibilities, and work with new people. You'll also find crucial advice on corporate branding, customer service, company leadership, and knowledge management. And you'll be surprised to discover just how do-able--and profitable--mergers and acquisitions can be. The book also includes self-questionnaires to test your “acquisition readiness,” case-by-case examples of famous successes and notorious failures, and other tools.

The new M&A bible. Few actions can change the value of a company—and its competitive future—as quickly and dramatically as an acquisition. Yet most companies fail to create shareholder value from these deals, and in many cases they destroy it. It doesn't have to be this way. In The Synergy Solution, Deloitte's Mark Sirower and Jeff Weirens show acquirers how to develop and execute an M&A strategy—end to end—that not only avoids the pitfalls that so many companies fall into but also creates real, long-term shareholder value. This strategy includes how to: Become a prepared "always on" acquirer Test the investment thesis and DCF valuation of a deal Plan for a successful Announcement Day, and properly communicate synergy promises to investors and other stakeholders Realize those promised synergies through integration planning and post-close execution Manage change and build a new, combined organization Sirower and Weirens provide invaluable background to those considering M&A, laying out the issues they have to consider, how to analyze them, and how to plan and execute the deal effectively. They also show those who have already started the process of M&A how to maximize their chances of success. There's an art and a science to getting mergers and acquisitions right, and this powerful book provides the insights and strategies acquirers need to find success at every stage of an often complex and perilous process.

A comprehensive new framework for winning at Mfrom up-front planning to postmerger integration The challenges of mergers and acquisitions can be daunting-but the opportunities and benefits they offer forward-thinking companies can be tremendous. Winning at Mergers and Acquisitions offers a critical new approach to strategic M&A based on the authors' pioneering concept of marketing due diligenceSM. Covering every stage of market-driven M&A planning and integration, this book shows how to look beyond the quick hit to focus on long-term growth rather than short-term cost-cutting. Featuring dozens of real-life case studies-including both failures and extraordinary successes-plus inside comments from leading M&A specialists, this book contains crucial guidance on: * Predeal planning-how to identify your strategic needs and pinpoint the merger candidate(s) that will help you meet them * Sizing up targets for acquisition-how to examine the essential marketing, sales, and product issues that will determine a good company "fit,".strategically and culturally * Revenue enhancement planning-how to identify ways to drive top-line growth and develop action plans to generate near- and long-term revenues * Filling the pipeline-how to prioritize and actualize the critical steps necessary to drive shareholder value * Developing communication programs-how to design and execute communication strategies to garner support for the merger by employees, customers, and other stakeholders * Building a comprehensive postmerger integration plan-how to align diverse corporate cultures, develop training and reward programs, and move beyond the turf wars and lack of productivity that hamper the success of mergers and acquisitions. Last year more than 7,000 mergers and acquisitions were completed, with a collective price tag estimated at more than $800 billion. And although they are known as highly effective means of achieving corporate growth and strategic advantage, these transactions are fraught with pitfalls: Statistics indicate that a third of these deals will fail and another third will not bear out the expectations of the merger partners. What can businesses looking to undertake strategic mergers and acquisitions do to ensure that they do not fall victim to confusion, multimillion-dollar losses, declining market share and profits, or any number of other negative results of failed transactions? The answers are in Winning at Mergers and Acquisitions, a pioneering step-by-step guide to growth-driven planning and swift, effective post-merger integration. Challenging the conventional emphasis on cost-reduction synergies, this book presents the authors' groundbreaking blueprint for mergers that yield strategic synergies and high returns in meeting long-term growth, increased market share, and revenue generation objectives. Mark Clemente and David Greenspan explore in detail the marketing, sales, and organizational issues that are vital aspects of successful M&A ventures. They take executives through the entire strategic M&A process-from setting objectives, to evaluating target companies, to aligning corporate cultures in an effort to ensure problem-free integration. They show how to maintain a sharp focus on the markets that will be reached by the merger-and they offer invaluable advice on charting a steady course through the often tumultuous period of integration, when organizational chaos can cause the merged company to lose momentum, market share, and the backing of customers, prospects, and shareholders. Winning at Mergers and Acquisitions is essential reading for CEOs, managers, deal makers, and others looking to capitalize on one of the most important methods of effecting corporate growth in business today-while staying focused on the people, product, and process issues that power that growth.