Today’s innovative technologies are empowering financial professionals to be more efficient and effective in the due diligence necessary for securing successful transactions. The M&A process has been redefined to ensure greater accuracy in valuations, and for improved decision-making on both the buyer and seller sides of the transaction. This self-study webinar focuses on the full scope of the modern due diligence process, and shows you how to:
- Apply the latest digital platforms and software programs, social media and other tools designed to speed up the due diligence process and enhance your chance for success in every transaction
- Merge today’s innovative tools and techniques with traditional analytical and critical thinking methods to optimize the full scope of the due diligence process—from establishing the need for a transaction and the letter of intent, through post-closing implementation
- Utilize multiple valuation techniques with the goal of determining fair valuation for the transaction, and possibly negotiating better pricing or terms
To provide CPAs and other financial professionals with the knowledge and skills to leverage today’s modern tools and techniques in performing successful due diligence. Through hands-on case studies and examples, you’ll gain the confidence to apply these tools for securing a good business deal.
- Evaluating the decision for acquisitions, partnerships, joint ventures, etc.
- Why acquisitions succeed or fail
- Expansion of the definition and application of due diligence practices
- Self examination of best strategy to meet your organization’s mission
- Acquisition criteria
- When to use intermediaries and outsourced expertise
- Analysis of initial data
- S.W.O.T analysis of target (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats)
- Preliminary valuation
- Letter of Intent (LOI)
- Schedule/manage the due diligence process
- Assembling the due diligence team and establishing goals and timelines
- Revisiting and confirming pre-LOI initial information
- Using leading-edge software to perform synergy modeling, the financial audit and analysis
- Detailed due diligence drill down to all functional areas: Sales, Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Operations, Product Development, Engineering, HR, Administration and General Management, Legal, etc.
- Management team capabilities—lock in key personnel
- Using due diligence findings to restructure a deal or build a positive culture post-closing
- New valuation tools—software applications to build models for income, asset and market approaches
• Recognize the relative success of acquisitions in meeting pre-acquisition expectations
• Identify common causes of acquisition transaction failures
• Identify key elements of a successful business transaction
• Identify the recommended first step in the due diligence process
• Recognize opportunity and threats identified in a SWOT analysis
• Identify the role of benchmarking in due diligence
• Identify the context in which the formal due diligence process should begin
• Recognize the overall goals of the formal due diligence process
• Recognize those circumstances that could represent a due diligence “deal breaker”
• Recognize a realistic timeline for a small, relatively simple acquisition transaction
• Identify the role of software in due diligence
• Identify the ideal focus of various phases of the formal due diligence process
• Identify the types of general information that should be gathered during due diligence
• Recognize documentation that should be reviewed in evaluation human resources
• Recognize potential problems in sales revenue
• Identify goals of a target acquisition market analysis
• Recognize problematic contingencies
• Recognize objectives of financial statement analysis
• Identify potentially aggressive accounting practices
• Identify nonrecurring items potentially susceptible to management bias
• Recognize income statement signs of earnings management
• Recognize likely considerations when analyzing a target’s net income
• Recognize indications of inventory problems
• Identify indications of potential problems within accounts payable
• Identify future obligations that should be scrutinized
• Identify possible off-balance obligations
• Recognize financial statement ratios and their various formulas
• Identify acquisition target external symptoms of stress
• Identify the different valuation methods and their overall approach
• Recognize specified characteristics and methodologies of the different valuation methods
