Assessing acquisition opportunities (M&A)

I frame the valuation, earnings and financial-risk questions the analysis needs to answer. The scope depends on the opportunity.

• To Review the evidenceScope the review

I review the available financial records and use initial AI-assisted document extraction where useful. Source links make the extracted figures available for checking.

• From Set the decision questionScope the review
• To Analyse the businessChecked evidence
• From Resolve open questionsInvestigate

I assess sustainable earnings, valuation assumptions and financial risks. Transaction-specific judgement remains visible within a consistent method.

• From Review the evidenceChecked evidence
• To Prepare the recommendationFindings and assumptions
• To Resolve open questionsNeeds more evidence

I bring the analysis together in a decision pack, stating the recommendation, its assumptions and what still needs to be resolved.

• From Analyse the businessFindings and assumptions
• To Leadership reviewsDecision pack

Leadership can question the evidence and assumptions behind the recommendation. The acquisition decision remains with leadership.

• From Prepare the recommendationDecision pack
• To Plan what followsPlanning questions
• To Resolve open questionsChallenge or follow-up

The analysis can inform an integration plan and further diligence. A plan is distinct from a completed acquisition or an executed integration.

• From Leadership reviewsPlanning questions

Unresolved questions return to investigation. The pack should make the uncertainty visible rather than present an unsupported conclusion.

• From Analyse the businessNeeds more evidence
• From Leadership reviewsChallenge or follow-up
• To Review the evidenceInvestigate

Financial statements and supporting deal records provide the basis for the analysis. I preserve source links so a reviewer can inspect where a figure came from.

• To Checked figuresExtract and check

Extracted figures remain subject to deterministic checks. An AI extraction is an initial aid, not an independently accepted financial fact.

• From Financial recordsExtract and check
• To Earnings and valuationEvidence base

The checked figures support quality-of-earnings and valuation work, including currency translation where relevant. The analysis keeps transaction-specific treatment explicit.

• From Checked figuresEvidence base
• From Stated assumptionsDeclared judgement
• To Findings and caveatsInterpret

I distinguish findings supported by the records from assumptions and unresolved questions. Conclusions stay within what the evidence supports.

• From Earnings and valuationInterpret
• To Decision packExplain

The pack presents the financial story, recommendation and source trail for executive or board review. A reader should be able to question the reasoning as well as the result.

• From Findings and caveatsExplain
• To Reviewer challengeReview the basis

Valuation and earnings analysis require judgement. I make the assumptions visible rather than allow them to look like source facts.

• To Earnings and valuationDeclared judgement

Reviewer authority covers the conclusions and assumptions. Additional questions can require further analysis before a recommendation is relied on.

• From Decision packReview the basis

The reporting contract gives the renderer checked data in a known structure. Acquisition analysis and judgement remain outside the factory.

• To View specificationSelect report views
• To Render the reportChecked data

The view specification describes how the report presents the checked data, including its sections, visuals and caveats. It is separate from the figures.

• From Checked data contractSelect report views
• To Render the reportPresentation instructions

The renderer turns the contract and view specification into HTML. Its job is presentation rather than inventing financial figures or acquisition conclusions.

• From Checked data contractChecked data
• From View specificationPresentation instructions
• To Check the outputCandidate report

The historical pack used control-total, freshness, offline-rendering and reader-comprehension checks. Those recorded checks do not certify every later factory capability.

• From Render the reportCandidate report
• To Export the packAccepted output
• To Resolve output issuesUnresolved checks

A checked report can be delivered in the supported offline formats. The historical output is evidence of that pack; the wider factory still has development work.

• From Check the outputAccepted output

A pack with unresolved validation or interpretation problems needs correction. The factory does not convert an unsupported source or conclusion into accepted evidence.

• From Check the outputUnresolved checks