Start with strategic purpose
An acquisition should solve a defined problem or create a defined advantage: capability, geography, customer access, talent, scale, or another objective that organic growth cannot achieve as effectively.
Translate strategy into tests
Criteria should address size, margins, customer concentration, management depth, integration requirements, culture, geography, valuation, and financing capacity.
Use discipline throughout
The same criteria should inform sourcing, diligence, valuation, negotiation, and integration planning. If the rationale changes repeatedly to justify a target, the opportunity may not fit.
Questions for Owners
Questions worth considering
- What must the acquisition accomplish?
- Which risks are unacceptable?
- How will management know after two years whether the acquisition succeeded?