Case Study: Left at the Altar…Again

The owner of Company X had been interested in acquiring Target Y for a long time. Finally, the owners of Target Y were open to discussion.

Owner X traveled to negotiate the deal, corralled the owners of Y, negotiated and negotiated, and (after several months) he finally struck a deal.

Leading up to closing, the final preparations were in process: lawyers and accountants were engaged and deployed, more travel, more due diligence.

At the 11th hour, the owners of Target Y changed their minds and nixed the deal.

Owner X retreated to his office to lick his wounds (and pay the bills).

Fast-forward six months (more than a year after the first negotiation meeting). The owners of Target Y call to say they are now serious about doing a deal. Owner X jumped at the chance and negotiated a new deal.

The weekend before closing he receives a call from owners Y that they are entertaining another offer. Owner X demands a final decision by the end of that day. Owners Y call that night and accept his final offer.

At closing the deal fell apart.

Owner X now tells the story and adds that, “Even if the purchase price today was zero – I would walk away.”

The costs: 18 months of focused attention, huge diligence fees and opportunity costs, lots of stress, and no deal.

Moral of the story:  In the world of acquisitions, dating one candidate is not a practical strategy.

A disciplined and focused process in acquisition search reduces risk, time and expense.

It also finds and qualifys more and better candidate while giving buyers an option for dealing with  the unexpected.

Submitted By,

Cliff Allen

Packard Acquisitions
Researching and Profiling
Privately Held Companies for Acquisition

CAllen@Packardacquisitions.com

Office/Cell: 651-226-2853 Fax: 651-578-7567

www.packardacquisitions.com

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