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Mergers & Acquisitions from A to Z

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"The power your company can generate in concert with another is immense. But mergers and acquisitions are incredibly complicated, involving issues ranging from valuation and deal structure to tax and securities laws. And things have only gotten more complicated in the increasingly global, post-Madoff era." "A comprehensive, hands-on resource--now fully revised and updated--the third edition of Mergers and Acquisitions from A to Z shows you how to get M&A deals done right." "Containing valuable tools, checklists, and sample documents, the book spells out the latest trends and developments in middle-market M&A best practices, and walks you through every step of the deal, from preliminary considerations to due diligence, through each and every piece of necessary documentation, all the way to closing" "The book explains key market conditions and trends, how to understand and take into consideration the motivations of each party, and ways to evaluate possible alternative paths to achieving growth goals and objectives." "Written in an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, nontechnical voice, and presenting creative strategies for structuring and financing M&A transactions during turbulent market conditions, this long-trusted guide reveals how to boost both the immediate financial position and the long-term outlook for your organization." "Illustrating what works and why with case studies and war stories, the book brings you up to speed on the essential steps and guidelines behind well-executed M&A transactions. Whether you're a novice or a veteran to the complex world of mergers and acquisitions, this book ensures that you have a thorough understanding of the latest key economic trends and market conditions that may affect your deal...and gives you the assuance you need to get the deal done smoothly and ensure post-transaction success."--BOOK JACKET.

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1998

223 people are currently reading
433 people want to read

About the author

Andrew J. Sherman

23 books14 followers
ANDREW J. SHERMAN is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Jones Day and an internationally recognized authority on the legal and strategic issues of emerging and established companies. A top-rated adjunct professor in the MBA and Executive MBA programs at the University of Maryland and Georgetown University Law School, he is the author of Raising Capital, Harvesting Intangible Assets, Franchising and Licensing, and Mergers & Acquisitions from A to Z.

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5 stars
52 (23%)
4 stars
83 (38%)
3 stars
63 (28%)
2 stars
19 (8%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Profile Image for Gil Bradshaw.
410 reviews3 followers
July 14, 2020
I'm going to give this book five stars, but I don't think this book is for everyone. Seriously Goodreads friends, this isn't the kind of book you should go out and buy, like "Shoe Dog." This book gives a broad overview to the steps of M&A and gives the reader an understanding of the vocabulary. If I were a first or second-year associate attorney and had to go into the M&A department, I would definitely buy this book. And read it in a coffee shop. While drinking a lot of coffee. It's a bit of a slog.

The reason I am rating it so high is because there just isn't much out there on this topic. So I appreciate this book's existence. It fills a niche.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
12 reviews
January 15, 2023
As if a seasoned lawyer sat me down and walked me through the art and science behind one of the most complex commercial transactions- M&A. Gives you a taste of the laws, ethics, finances, politics, human egos that are interwoven into the very fabric of such deals.
Profile Image for Billy.
43 reviews2 followers
September 12, 2023
As someone who works on deals, there are more creative ways for deals to be structured. Profit-share of 50/50 till Party A breakevens then it'd be a 30/70 split - this is for shareholders who places capital at the forefront (rather than passive returns).

Mainly focused on the US market with the respective rules and regulations.
Profile Image for Denny Troncoso.
590 reviews4 followers
December 3, 2021
Very information and detailed book on Mergers and Acquisitions. If you have any interest in the topic this is a book to read. The offer knows the subject very well. He provided very detailed actions when conducting an acquisition of a business.
Profile Image for Roo Phillips.
262 reviews25 followers
November 30, 2020
3.5 stars. A really good overview of M&A. Seemed like the right amount of detail. A good resource to refer to as needed.
97 reviews2 followers
October 22, 2021
Not much interesting information, quite a basic overview of M&A
28 reviews
October 13, 2022
Older book on M/A written in late 90s. Still mostly up to date on the topic.
Profile Image for Adi Gullia.
16 reviews3 followers
April 25, 2024
Great guide for anyone interested in learning the basics of M&A and what goes into the acquisition of a company.
31 reviews
September 11, 2024
This book does a good job at outlining all the logistics of the process but it is not a good book when referring to the philosophy and mindset for this type of entrepreneurship.
42 reviews
February 4, 2025
Also great for understanding due diligence on companies one might want to work for
Profile Image for Michael.
646 reviews1 follower
November 29, 2025
Useful resource, but oriented more towards large M&A deals than small business. Not the most exciting narration either.
11 reviews
November 20, 2023
Hard read, chapter 13 should be read at the very least, even if the whole idea of lawyer jargon scares you.

Lots of how to create forms, and dealing with litigations

How lawyers think, nothing like the show Suits :(
Profile Image for Sergey Dudko.
172 reviews2 followers
January 12, 2023
Key M&A rationale: brand equity, new customers, marketing, profit, share price, talent, new markets, channels, new producst.

Reasons for deal failure: lack of fiancial statements at the seller side, non cooperative target management, due diligenec uncovered deal breakers, shift in the M&A strategy of the potential buyer (e.g., due to change in management), lack of seller's flexbility in price.

Post-acquisition failure happens mainly due to lack on effective communication and lack of the realistic integration / value creation plan.

Employees disengagement trend in the U.S. is an imppartant issue for the buyer during the due diligence process.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews

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