Business Acquisition and Divestiture: Strategy and Finance

Buying or selling a business is one of the most significant strategic moves an investor or executive can make, yet many deals fail due to poor preparation and valuation. This text-based course guides you through the entire lifecycle of corporate acquisitions and divestitures, from initial strategy to final integration or exit. You will transition from understanding basic business operations to confidently evaluating, structuring, and executing transactions. You will learn how to identify viable target companies, perform modern digital due diligence, construct robust financial models, and structure deals that minimize risk and maximize value. What you'll learn: - Understand the core terminology, strategic drivers, and phases of the acquisition and divestiture process; - Evaluate target companies using modern valuation methodologies, including discounted cash flow and comparable company analysis; - Conduct thorough due diligence covering financial, legal, operational, and digital assets; - Structure deals effectively using debt, equity, and earn-outs to align buyer and seller incentives; - Plan and execute post-merger integration to realize synergies and avoid common pitfalls; - Manage the divestiture process to cleanly carve out and sell business units for maximum return. Starting with fundamental deal-making concepts, you will progress through strategic sourcing, valuation mechanics, negotiation tactics, and post-deal integration or separation workflows. This course is designed for aspiring business buyers, corporate development professionals, and entrepreneurs looking to scale through acquisition. No prior investment banking experience is required. Begin your journey into strategic deal-making and business growth today.