Services - Merger & Acquisition Consultants

Merger & Acquisition Consultants

M&A activity has fallen from its pandemic highs in 2021, but UK CEOs still have significant investments in the works.

According to Ernst & Young, 58% of UK CEOs plan to make significant capital investments in the next 12 months. This will likely result in a bump in M&A transactions in 2024.

However, no M&A deal that gets across the line guarantees success. This is why working with an M&A consultant is critical to maximising your deal value and achieving your objectives.

What does an M&A consultant do?

The fact is the vast majority of M&A deals are executed poorly. According to The Financial Times, roughly 70% of all deals fail for one reason or another. The goal of an M&A consultant is to increase your chances of success.

Acting in an advisory role, M&A consultants navigate companies throughout the process. They may offer services at a specific point in the M&A timeline, or they may offer expertise from start to finish.

In short, consultants provide whatever function you require to navigate the choppy waters of your deal.

Who needs an M&A consultant?

Every company in every industry can benefit from the services of an M&A consultant. Regardless of how experienced a businessperson you are, every M&A deal is different, and you need the help of someone who understands the ins and outs of the process.

M&A consultants may have overseen hundreds of deals of all sizes. With their experience, you can overcome the most common pitfalls that lead to 62% of M&A deals failing to meet their financial objectives.

What do M&A services include?

M&A consultants support every step in the M&A process. You can either opt for a specific service or get complete support from start to finish.

Core M&A services include:

M&A Strategy: Get the blueprint needed to make your deal successful and establish a roadmap to achieving your long-term strategic goals.
Valuation: Receive a professional, independent valuation for your company and the target company.
Target Identification: Enlist an M&A consultant to assess different targets to see if they are the right fit.
Due Diligence: Performing due diligence is the most critical part of the process. With their know-how, you can go over a deal’s financial, operational and legal aspects to ensure that you have a realistic chance of extracting the deal value you expect.
Financing Advice: If you require external financing to fund your deal, an M&A consultant can assess its viability and develop the capital structure that makes sense for your company.
Communication: Prepare your communication plan for stakeholders by identifying the short-term and long-term benefits to ensure you have everybody onboard with the deal.
Negotiation: Amplify your bargaining power with negotiation support. Not only can a consultant enhance your value, but also advise on whether you’re getting the best deal.
Post–Merger Integration: Gain operational support when integrating your new merger or acquisition. They can help you plan and maximise synergies while enabling you to target the most common obstacles in the integration process.

M&A consultants can also help you manage IPOs in several ways, such as formulating a plan to maximise value, developing public-specific strategies and preparing your company to go public.

How M&A consultancy works

M&A consultancy is primarily an advisory service. Your consultant is not a replacement for your internal team or specific professionals, such as lawyers and corporate accountants. They support them while bringing their unique experience to the table.

Your M&A consultant will begin by assessing your company, the situation and what you want to achieve going forward. With this information, they can provide targeted, tailored advice to empower you to make value-driven decisions.

Ultimately, M&A consultancy works how you want it to work because your consultant’s scope is defined by you. Some companies require a la carte services, whereas others demand end-to-end support.

This is why speaking to your consultant first is critical so both sides can establish realistic expectations.

Why hire a Merger & Acquisitions consultant?

Hiring a merger and acquisitions consultant is the type of investment that repays itself many times over. This type of professional can boost the odds of your deal realising its true value.

If you’re wondering why you should hire an M&A expert, here are some of the reasons:

Maximise the value of your transaction.
Ensure you’re getting a fair deal.
Guarantee confidentiality during the deal.
They possess unmatched experience garnered over hundreds of deals.
Consultants educate you throughout the process.
Gain a tailored strategy for success.
Minimise day-to-day operational disruption.
Ensure end-to-end support.

At Hilton Smythe, we provide our clients with all these benefits and more. With every M&A deal presenting unique challenges and pitfalls, you need a guide to help you avoid them.

Want to learn more about what Hilton Smythe’s M&A consultants can do for you?

Make a confidential enquiry

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