Bank M&A
09/17/2018

The Avoidable Mistakes that Acquirers Make


acquisition-9-17-18.pngFor many bank boards of directors and senior management teams, an acquisition will be the most important deal they ever make. Unfortunately, even experienced acquirers make mistakes that can have a negative—and sometimes even disastrous—impact on the outcome. And they are all avoidable.

Be Able To Say Why
One of the most common missteps is to pull the trigger on a deal without having a clear rationale for why a particular acquisition target—as opposed to other possible candidates—is the best strategic fit. “Some acquirers tend to be more opportunistic and try to assess on the fly whether or not the deal is a good fit, as opposed to knowing before hand that they really want to acquire institutions that have certain parameters,” says Rick Childs, a partner at the consulting firm Crowe LLP. “It may be that they make a certain level of money, or do a certain type of lending, or operate in a desirable geography.”

In almost every instance, doing no deal is better than doing the wrong deal. Says Childs: “My dad used to tell me a long time ago, when I would say that something was on sale, ‘Son, a bargain isn’t a bargain if you don’t need it,’ which is to say if it doesn’t really fit, you’re better to walk away from that and focus on… opportunities that would really advance your cause as an organization and produce the returns you need for your shareholders.”

Cultural Compatibility
Having a well-developed a well-defined set of criteria in advance enables the acquirer to then assess critical elements such as the target’s culture—which is important because misaligned cultures can lead to significant problems after the deal has closed and the banks need to be integrated. “I find that many times buyers don’t take the time to learn whether the organizations are compatible,” says Gary Bronstein, a partner at the law firm Kilpatrick Townsend. “And this is especially important when the seller will become a significant part of the merged organization. Too often, says Bronstein, buyers fail to focus on this issue until the integration process begins. “And it becomes [apparent] that perhaps the cultures of the two organizations in terms of how hard they work, how customers are treated, what the philosophies are in terms of how they operate, might not be compatible and it makes it very difficult to integrate under those circumstances.”

Clear, Consistent Communication
Bronstein also finds that acquirers sometimes fail to place a high enough emphasis on the importance on effective and honest communication with people at the acquired bank. “That is particularly [true] among CEOs of the two organizations,” he says. “I’ve seen many deals fall apart or deteriorate pretty quickly due to bad communication, or lack of thoughtful communication.” Candor is an especially important element of the communication process, Bronstein says. “I’ve seen situations where a buyer CEO will say one thing but then do another thing, and that just alienates people in the process. And it’s critically important to develop a… rapport early, because if things deteriorate early it’s hard to get back,” he cautions.

Consider The People
Many acquirers also tend to wait too long to make critical people decisions that can impact the outcome of a merger. Bronstein divides these important people decisions into three categories. “Category number one is, who do you need long term, and [in] what positions?” he explains. “Who do I need for this larger organization, and what positions can I spot them in? The second category is, who do I need short term to get me through the transition? The common timeline for transition is the technology conversion, which will usually happen somewhere between three and six months after the transaction is closed. And the final thing is, who are the people that are closest to the customers that I really need to lock up with a non-compete so they don’t go next door and compete with me?”

Childs also stresses the importance of communicating these important personnel decisions throughout both organizations. Staffers at either bank who ultimately will not be part of the combined organization once the integration process has been completed should be informed “as quickly and as compassionately as you can,” he says. It’s equally important that employees who will be going forward with the new bank know that their jobs are secure. “Uncertainty breeds angst and anxiety that is going to affect how people treat their day-to-day job, and taking that away and reassuring them is really job number one for the CEO and the management teams.”

WRITTEN BY

Jack Milligan

Editor-at-Large

Jack Milligan is editor-at-large of Bank Director magazine, a position to which he brings over 40 years of experience in financial journalism organizations. Mr. Milligan directs Bank Director’s editorial coverage and leads its director training efforts. He has a master’s degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University.