A business merger is a legal combination of two businesses into one company. It could be a great way to accelerate growth, expand into new markets, strengthen product portfolios, improve profitability, and enhance competitive positioning. However, it is essential to assess if the deal aligns with your long-term business strategy and if the expected synergies are realistic and possible to achieve.
The best way to determine if a business merger is right for you is by engaging with a Milwaukee mergers and acquisitions attorney early on in the process. Ultimately, merging your business with another is a significant trade-off. Your business values and culture will need to align with those of the other company – or else, you’ll run into significant cultural issues that can jeopardize post-merger integration.
You may also run into issues around systems and technology. You’ll need to combine the different systems used by both companies into a streamlined infrastructure that’s optimized for operations. This can be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive, so it’s important to budget for this part of the process.
Lastly, you’ll need to make sure the management team of the combined entity is aligned with yours. If not, it can be challenging to manage the transition and achieve synergies. For example, if you’re merging with a company whose executive leadership is all new, it can be hard to find common ground with your existing management team. The infamous merger between Citi and Travelers in 1998 is an excellent example.