Business-Minded Legal Solutions

Two lessons from the biggest mergers of 2018

2018 was the biggest year for merger and acquisition deals in over forty years. In the first three quarters of 2018, companies completed over $3.3 trillion in merger and acquisition deals, with over $1.3 trillion of these deals coming from companies in the United States.

A recent report notes the top three markets for merger and acquisition deals included energy and power industries, technology and healthcare markets. Some of the top deals from the year include the Dell Technologies’ acquisition of VMware Class V Tracking Stock for $21.7 billion, the Keurig Green Mountain Inc. acquisition Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc for $26.6 billion and the acquisition of Spring Corp by T-Mobile US Inc for $58.7 billion.

Even businesses that are not looking for billion-dollar deals can benefit from lessons learned in 2018. Two merger and acquisition take-aways include:

  • Timing. Review the numbers and the market. When timed wisely, a merger deal can help to improve the business’ market share and set it up for future success.  
  • Strategy. Know what your business needs. If it is lacking in technology within the market, consider merging or acquiring another business that can help your company meet this need. In the Keurig deal, one motivating factor was access to Dr. Pepper’s drink distribution network. Due to this deal, Keurig now has access to one of the top three drink distribution networks in the country.

Businesses that are considering a merger and acquisition deal can take another step to better ensure success: seek legal counsel. An attorney experienced in this niche area of business law can review the details of the transaction and help ensure a smooth transition.

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