David Braun

Author's posts

Publicis – Omnicom Merger Breaks Up Over Culture Clash

Pubicis and Omnicom have called off their proposed $35 billion merger that would have created the largest advertising agency in the world. According to reports, Publicis CEO Maurice Levy and Omnicom CEO John Wren disagreed over many details, including filling key management positions and corporate structure. This comes as no surprise to me. Ten months …

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Why Pfizer Really Wants to Acquire AstraZeneca

Pfizer looks to AstraZeneca acquisition to bolster its drug pipeline and reap tax savings. Pfizer’s $119 billion bid for AstraZenca indicates a change in strategy for the company. According to the Wall Street Journal  “A big deal, potentially worth $100 billion, would mean Pfizer is shifting from its steady diet of cost-cutting and reorganizations over …

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Due Diligence and Integration – From Research to Action

Due diligence and integration fit hand in glove. Simply put, due diligence is the research and integration is the action. For example, due diligence and integration work hand-in-hand when you address benefits, such as  healthcare, vacation, tuition reimbursement, paid time off, subsidized cafeteria plans and other perks. Deciding what to do with them is one …

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Midmarket Deal Flow Expands

Midmarket deal flow expanded at the fastest rate in six months, according to a study conducted by Mergers & Acquisitions in April. The survey has positive implications for midmarket growth. As I’ve mentioned previously on my blog, midmarket companies have faced increased competition from larger players and small mom and pops.  Faced with this “squeeze,” it’s …

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Don’t Be a Copy Cat

Although imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, it doesn’t guarantee success. Assuming that the success of one business assures the same result for yours is a bit absurd because fundamentally the two companies are different, each with its own challenges, strengths, cultures and dynamics. You may think this concept is self-evident, but I’ve …

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Discounts Don’t Drive Growth for Consumer Staples

Facing a stagnant market, retailers of consumer staples have turned to aggressive discounts to drive growth. According to the Wall Street Journal, more than 50% of consumers’ purchases include markdowns! More Discounts is NOT More Growth Businesses in non-growth or declining growth markets understandably must find new ways to capture market share. However, offering more …

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Be the preferred buyer – Have your ducks in a row

Your ability and willingness to close a transaction can help position you as a preferred buyer. Just like in buying a house, sellers look favorably upon buyers for whom financing is not a contingency of closing.  If you already have financing secured not only do you have the willingness to close a transaction quickly, you …

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Tax Inversions: Foreign Acquisitions for a Lower Tax Rate

As tax day approaches in the U.S. I thought it’d be appropriate to discuss a business tax trend. As you may be with your own return, U.S. corporations are looking for more tax advantages.  Many are seeking tax inversions, where they reincorporate in a new country with a lower tax rate as a result of …

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Cost Synergies Ill-Suited for Long-Term Growth for Men’s Wearhouse

After battling for six months, Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank finally came to an acquisition agreement on March 11 for $1.8 billion, forming the country’s fourth-largest men’s retailer. Men’s Wearhouse expects cost synergies of $100-150 million over the next three years to result from the deal, including the benefit of better purchasing power. While …

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Facebook Finds the Next “Big Thing” with Oculus Acquisition

Facebook acquired Oculus VR, Inc, a maker of virtual-reality glasses for $2 billion. This is Facebook’s second big acquisition in 2014 – it recently purchased WhatsApp for $19 billion. With these two acquisitions Facebook is expanding beyond its current social network platform by adding new capabilities and products. According to Facebook, wearable technology is the …

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