Article at a glance:

Habits of the busiest acquirers

• When M&A practitioners plan and execute a merger, they go to great lengths to tilt the odds in favor of creating shareholder value.
• Some favored techniques—such as assembling a world class M&A team, modifying the organizational design of the acquiring company, and adding systems to smooth integration—can help but do not guarantee success.
• Interviews with executives at some of the most acquisitive US companies showed that those reaping the greatest long-term rewards from the markets often take a distinctive approach to M&A.
• The markets are more likely to reward companies that focus on their strategic goals and choose acquisitions that complement their distinctive capabilities.