When companies merge or acquire, stakeholders expect that the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts. Unfortunately, this happens less than half the time. Not only does one plus one not equal three; too often it results in losses. A once-exceptional organization can quickly take a turn toward mediocrity, or worse. HelpingRead more
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Evaluation in the M&A process—appraisal, valuations, and assessment of the target and acquiring companies—should happen at each turn: before, during, and after the decision to acquire. Evaluation has neither a “start” nor a “start date.” Rather, it involves a circular, continuous process of reevaluating new information as it becomes available and reassessment of existing dataRead more
Some experts refer to “incompatible business models” undermining a merger or acquisition deal, but what does that really suggest? It means that when companies make money in vastly different ways, doing extremely different things, and no one recognizes or addresses these differences, the merged company risks destabilization. While decision-makers should consider the mission, vision, andRead more
When companies merge or acquire, stakeholders usually expect that the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts. Unfortunately, the facts tell a different story. Study after study puts the failure rate of mergers and acquisitions between 70% and 90%. One plus one does not equal three; too often it moves shareholder returnsRead more
When researchers survey business leaders on their opinions about why an M&A initiative has failed, often they flag implementation as the primary cause of problems. Blaming implementation rather than looking at the acquisition strategy, however, looks at effect – not cause. The reasons for failure may show up during the implementation stage, and people willRead more
