Mergers and Acquisitions: Concepts and Theories

Discover the mergers and acquisitions industry

In this introductory course you will get an overview of the major aspects of the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) industry.

You’ll discover the theories and concepts that underpin mergers and acquisitions, and learn the skills involved in executing transactions, from a deal’s inception to post-merger integration.

Please note that this course is free to join but, in order to complete the Mergers and Acquisitions program, you will need to obtain a certificate on each of the courses. 

This course is ideal for financial analysts and associates. It is also suitable for directors and managers who have transitioned, or hope to transition, to mergers and acquisitions from other areas, such as equities or fixed income.

To get the most from this course you will need a good knowledge of financial analysis and MS Excel.

• Overview and buyer strategies
• Introduction
• Global M&A
• Emerging market M&A issues
• The buyer’s viewpoint
• Three ways M&A increases value
• Buy vs. build synergies
• Conclusion and next steps
• Finding a deal and pricing the deal
• Introduction
• Starting the acquisition process
• Key risks and failed deals - case studies
• Valuation - approaches and methodologies
• Comparable acquisitions and leverage buyout valuations
• Conclusion and next steps
• Special valuation cases
• Introduction
• Special valuation cases
• Premiums & discounts
• Conclusion
• Course conclusion and next steps