This course will explore the reasons and motivations for mergers and acquisitions, and will examine the strategic considerations in planning and implementing a merger or acquisition, in either a friendly or hostile environment, and the tools and techniques of valuation will be reviewed. The acquisition process will be discussed in detail – from confidentiality agreement to bid process to due diligence to letter of intent to negotiation to definitive legal document to closing, and finally, to implementation. The aim is to provide an understanding of the strategic, cost, valuation, structure, financial, legal, accounting, negotiating and implementation issues associated with mergers and acquisitions. Issues in the development of well-defined, value creating mergers and acquisition strategy and other issues such as regulatory matters will be explored, as will the key issues involving integration of the merged entities.