Access to company information has never been easier. The challenge facing corporate finance advisers, private equity investors and acquisitive businesses is not finding company data but identifying which businesses represent genuine acquisition opportunities. Most company databases can generate lists of businesses. Far fewer help users understand which companies are strategically attractive, which ownership structures may...

Why Identifying the Right Opportunities Matters More Than Building Larger Lists One of the most common mistakes in business development and acquisition research is assuming that more prospects automatically lead to better results. Modern databases can generate thousands of potential companies in minutes, but the challenge is rarely finding businesses. The real challenge is identifying...

Finding better acquisition targets than SIC codes allow requires a more accurate approach to market definition and acquisition research. However, SIC codes were never designed for acquisition research. Whilst they can provide a useful starting point, they often group together businesses with very different activities and can overlook specialist companies that may represent attractive acquisition...

Successful acquisition research rarely begins with a complete understanding of a market. More often, corporate finance advisers, private equity investors and strategic acquirers begin with information they already possess. This may be an existing customer list, known competitors, previous acquisition targets, portfolio companies or businesses identified through industry knowledge. The challenge is not finding information...