M&A advisory and transaction support

We provide M&A advisory and transaction support for business owners, including acquisition financial analysis, deal modelling, financial preparation and coordination with the appointed advisers. Our LBO modelling service assesses leveraged acquisition scenarios, while tax advisory and tax efficiency reviews can be scoped alongside the transaction.

Agree the responsibilities for each engagement. Funding arrangements, legal execution and formal third-party reliance reports are not automatically included.

Updated · I need a Fractional CFO

When to bring a fractional CFO into an acquisition

A target may look attractive on its own accounts while creating a difficult funding or integration challenge for the buyer. Bring financial support into the process when a potential acquisition becomes a serious management decision, rather than waiting until the purchase price is the only question left.

Useful starting points include your acquisition rationale, available financial information, expected timetable and the capacity of your existing team. A smaller transaction can still involve complicated working capital, customer concentration or reporting issues.

Acquisition modelling: purchase price is only one cash requirement

An acquisition model should connect the proposed consideration with fees, funding terms, integration expenditure and the cash required to operate the combined business. Keep committed funding separate from facilities that are still subject to approval.

Model a base case and a downside case. Test slower collections, delayed integration and lower-than-expected trading. Where debt is involved, incorporate the actual repayment and covenant terms provided by the lender rather than generic assumptions. Our financial modelling support can help structure the scenarios.

Worked acquisition cash example

Hypothetically, £1.5m payable at completion, £100,000 of transaction costs, £150,000 of integration expenditure and £250,000 of additional working capital create a £2m cash requirement. If £1.2m of funding is available, £800,000 remains to be funded.

This simplified illustration excludes tax effects, financing fees, deferred consideration and any required liquidity reserve. Add the items applicable to the deal and their payment dates. It is not a valuation or financing recommendation.

A forecast might show the working capital requirement arriving after completion, while professional fees are paid earlier. That timing matters: a total sources-and-uses figure is not a substitute for a dated cash plan.

What M&A CFO support can include

  • An acquisition model with documented assumptions and sensitivities.
  • A sources-and-uses schedule and combined cash forecast.
  • A financial information request list and issue tracker.
  • Coordination of management responses to transaction advisers.
  • A finance integration plan with responsibilities and reporting dates.

Agree who owns the deal process and which specialists are engaged. This service does not automatically include finding targets, arranging investment, negotiating legal terms or providing a formal independent due diligence opinion. Any additional work needs a separate scope and assessment.

Connect the deal stages

Use financial due diligence support to organise and investigate the financial questions. If you are selling, begin with business sale preparation. For the combined business, plan post-acquisition finance integration before completion.

Scope and fees depend on the transaction stage, information quality, entities involved and the work your existing advisers cover. No target documents are needed in the initial enquiry. Start with whether you are buying, merging or planning the finance work after a transaction.

Your questions, answered.

Can you help before we agree a purchase price?

Yes. An initial scope can focus on the acquisition rationale, available information, cash requirements and the assumptions that need testing before further commitments.

Do you arrange acquisition funding?

This page describes financial preparation and modelling. Funding introductions, arranging finance or regulated investment services are not included or promised.

Can you work alongside our lawyers and accountants?

Yes. The scope can coordinate financial inputs alongside your appointed advisers, with clear ownership of legal, tax and specialist transaction work.