The M&A Failure Trap

PRAISE FOR THE M&A FAILURE TRAP "The M&A Failure Trap is a delightful blend of vivid storytelling and statistical rigor. An eye-opening and wide-ranging guide for executives and investors keen to understand M&A." - Michael Mauboussin, Head of Consilient Research for Counterpoint Global at Morgan Stanley Investment Management "As a 20+ year executive in the cybersecurity industry, both with highly acquisitive companies like RSA and VMware, as well as several cyber startups, I've been involved with dozens of acquisitions. I have witnessed first-hand the complexities and challenges that come with M&A. Too many acquisitions fail to create their expected value, and often the biggest challenge is not 'making the right deal,' but rather 'making the deal right.' The M&A Failure Trap is an amazing resource for anyone involved in this high-stakes arena. For corporate leaders, the sections on due diligence, integration planning, cultural compatibility, realistic synergy expectations, and post-acquisition monitoring are particularly valuable. I wish I had this book a decade ago." -Tom Corn, former Senior Vice President, Security Products, VMware "While you can make a case for acquisitions as value creating in some companies, the truth is that acquisitions rank among the most value destructive of all corporate actions. Egged on by an ecosystem of bankers and consultants who make money off M&A deals getting done, companies often over promise and over pay. Lev and Gu start with the recognition that acquisitions fail far too frequently, but they also map out pathways for value creation, based upon data and their in-depth understanding of the economics of and accounting for acquisitions. It is recommended reading for anyone in the M&A space." - Aswath Damodaran, Professor of Finance and Kerschner Family Chair in Finance Education, New York University "Authors Baruch Lev and Feng Gu performed the most in-depth study of M&A ever undertaken, deploying advanced statistical techniques to analyze 40,000 transactions. Their conclusion totally contradicts the Wall Street chorus of cheerleading and management claims of major 'synergies' and 'value creation' when these deals are announced. Lev and Gu show decisively that 70% to 75% of all M&A prove a raw deal for the acquirer's shareholders. Yet they also provide a checklist of warnings that if heeded, will keep CEOs from falling into the trap. Among them: avoid paying big premiums, beware the integration challenges from acquiring foreign targets, and don't hype the transaction's potential. Put simply, The M&A Failure Trap should be a required primer in all C-suites across the globe." -Shawn Tully, Senior Editor-at-Large, Fortune magazine "Poorly conceived M&A transactions appear among the best ways to burn billions of dollars. But Lev and Gu critically show it's not all doom and gloom. In fact, they show predictable data-driven ways to identify the likelihood of actual success. For any corporate leader considering an M&A transaction, the lessons within this book will reap dividends many fold." - Eugene Soltes, McLean Family Professor of Business Administration, Unit Head, Accounting & Management, Harvard Business School