Acquisition strategy: decide what you are buying for

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Define what the purchase must achieve

Name the capability, customer access or commercial position the business wants to gain. Compare acquiring with building internally, partnering or improving the current operation. Explain why ownership matters to the intended outcome. Avoid treating growth in size as sufficient evidence that a purchase makes strategic sense.

02 /

Set target and walk-away criteria

Describe the characteristics a target must have and the constraints that matter. Consider management capacity, integration effort, cash requirements and customer fit. Identify assumptions that need evidence during diligence. Record conditions that would make the opportunity unsuitable before negotiations create pressure to proceed.

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Plan beyond the transaction

Test how the acquired business would operate after completion and what the buyer would need to change. Review funding and downside assumptions with advisers. Seek transaction-specific legal and regulatory advice, including competition considerations where relevant. A strategy guide cannot determine the approvals or restrictions that apply to a proposed acquisition.

Use this in your business

An acquisition-thesis worksheet

Purpose: the strategic outcome ownership should enable.
Alternatives: build, partner, acquire or defer.
Target fit: capabilities, customers and operating characteristics required.
Constraints: leadership capacity, cash and integration demands.
Walk-away conditions: findings that would invalidate the case.

Illustrative example

What this could look like

A business wants access to a new customer segment. A target has those customers but depends heavily on its founder's relationships. The strategic case must test whether that access can continue after purchase, rather than treating the customer list as a transferable outcome.

Your next move

Bring the decision into focus.

Pivot Point's team describes acquisitions and commercial advisory work. Bring the growth objective and the reason acquisition is being considered.

Start a conversation Meet the advisory team

This guide is general preparation information. Advice on legal, tax and financial consequences needs to reflect your circumstances.