Learn how mergers and acquisitions fuel business growth and synergy in this free online corporate finance course.

Companies that intend to diversify their investments through mergers and acquisitions draw up a list of possible target companies. This list should include private or publicly listed organisations that suit the business model and strategy of the acquiring company. In this corporate finance course, we compare public and private companies from an acquisition standpoint to help you understand the acquiring process for each.

An acquirer can conclude a friendly acquisition deal through mutual agreement with the target company or it can happen through a hostile takeover. A hostile (or ‘unfriendly’) takeover is carried out against the will of the target company. This course covers both scenarios in detail to provide you with an in-depth understanding of the procedure. We also explain in detail the steps involved before and after a company has been acquired.

Our final section discusses the different types of mergers and acquisitions synergies created by consolidation deals as companies combine their strengths. We lay out the different payment modes used by companies to settle mergers and acquisitions deals. Sign up to learn how businesses grow by acquiring their smaller counterparts in the cut-and-thrust world of corporate finance.