Articles
Acquisition intelligence.
Practical thinking on acquisition strategy, target origination, deal execution, and post-acquisition integration – from Acquisitiv.
Strategy · Featured
Why do most acquisitions fail?
70-75% of acquisitions fail to deliver projected value. The reasons are structural – wrong target selection, inadequate diligence, and integration that starts too late. Understanding where acquisitions actually break is the first step to stopping it from happening to yours.
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The numbers
70–75%
of acquisitions fail to deliver projected value
42%
of failures caused by wrong target or overpayment
27%
of failures caused by poor post-acquisition integration
Fundamentals
What does a buy-side M&A adviser do?
Most buyers assume their accountant or lawyer can cover the buy-side advisory role. Here is why that assumption is expensive – and what genuine buy-side advisory actually involves.
Origination
How to find off-market acquisition targets in the UK
The businesses worth acquiring are rarely on broker lists. A practical guide to proprietary target identification – what works, what doesn't, and what it actually takes.
Strategy
What is an acquisition thesis – and why does it matter?
An acquisition thesis is not a wish list. It is a written definition of what you are looking for, what you will walk away from, and why. Most buyers skip it. Most regret it.
Process
How long does an acquisition take in the UK?
Six to twelve months is the honest answer – but the range is wide and the variables are specific. What drives the timeline, what extends it, and how to plan around it.
Origination
What is deal origination – and why does it matter for buyers?
Deal origination is how buyers build a pipeline of acquisition targets before those targets reach the open market. Here is how a systematic origination process works – and why most buyers get it wrong.
Integration
Post-acquisition integration: why 27% of deals fail after close
Integration planning that starts after completion is already too late. What Day One readiness actually means, why the first 90 days determine the outcome, and how to prepare before the ink is dry.
Browse by topic
All articles are organised around the four stages of the acquisition lifecycle.
Strategy
Acquisition thesis, board alignment, target criteria, walk-away rules.
Origination
Off-market deal flow, target identification, outreach, qualification.
Execution
Valuation, heads of terms, due diligence, negotiation, completion.
Integration
Day One readiness, 90-day support, management alignment, value protection.
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