Acquisitions fail for reasons that range from lack of compelling strategic rationale to inadequate due diligence to conflicting cultures. I think many would say acquisitions fail because too much was paid for them. While overpaying is certainly a reason for failure, I would not say it is the top reason. In my experience, I have …
Tag: Mergers and Acquisitions
How to Increase Success of M&A
A recent Deloitte survey noted frequent misalignment between CFOs and company directors about the strategic rationale of M&A. The study concludes that CFOs and board members should align their M&A strategy for greater success. Naturally, I’m not surprised by these findings. The likelihood of successful acquisition would increase if all parties shared the same strategy. …
Top 5 Strategic Drivers of Oil and Gas M&A
Mergers and acquisitions in the oil and gas industry oscillated from a high of $84.8 billion in the first half of 2012 to just $51.5 billion in the first half of 2013. The total deal value for Q2 2013 was $23.6 billion, the lowest since Q3 2009. Expect a new swing given the rumors that …
Can We Expect More Private Equity Transactions?
Neiman Marcus has been sold by private equity groups TPG and Warburg Pincus for $6 billion to Canadian PE firm Ares Management and Canada Pension Plan Investment Group (CPPIB). TPG and Warburg filed for an IPO earlier this summer but kept their options open, Forbes reports. This transaction is not really surprising given the conditions …
In an Acquisition Process, the Buck Stops With You
As you go through the M&A process, you may find that advisors are both necessary and helpful to assist you. However, you must maintain your leadership role. I find that particularly toward the end of the acquisition process, executives imagine that they should hand the reins to a more “experienced” professional. This would be unwise. …
Investment Looking Up
by John Dearing, Capstone Managing Director Housing prices are on the rebound, there’s talk of interest rates on student loans increasing and Private Equity fundraising has reached the highest level since the financial crisis began. In Q2 2013 PE raised over $122 billion, a 36% increase from the same period one year ago (Q2 2012). These …
Five Common Mistakes Made During an Acquisition (And How You Can Avoid Them)
About 77% of company acquisitions fail. Don’t let that number scare you off from an acquisition. Based on my observations as an M&A consultant, I’ve found most acquisitions fail due to widespread misunderstandings of the process. Head over to the ACG National Capital Blog to read my list of some of the most common mistakes …
Acquisition: A Team Sport
Throughout my blog I’ve stressed the importance of carefully planning your business strategy. While planning is important, your plan to buy, no matter how well crafted, is only as good as the people who execute it. Acquisition is a team sport for two reasons. Practically speaking, buying a company involves multiple skills—more than any single …
Strategy: US Airways and American Airlines
The $11 billion merger between US Airways and American Airlines offers a striking example of current trends in mergers and acquisitions: strategic acquisitions. The US Airways and American Airlines merger is an all-stock deal that should bring cost benefits and synergies which allow the company to better handle fixed assets. In order to remain viable …
Growth Pathway # 5: Pursue External Growth
The fifth and final pathway to growth is external growth. Here, expansion is achieved by engaging with entities outside your company. There are many forms of engagement, of which acquisition is but one. External growth can be one of the most exciting paths to growth and in many cases, it should top your list of …
