Unlocking Acquisitive Growth

Corporate acquisitions can be problematic. A lack of suitable targets, as well as high prices on appropriate ones, can deter deals. And when business leaders do complete a transaction, it might not add the value they had originally anticipated. To better their odds, executives should take cues from “successful serial acquirers,” such as PVH, the clothing and design company behind the Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands. Successful serial acquirers close numerous deals per year, expand at almost three times the rate of their competitors and produce nearly twice the returns of their rivals over a 15-year timeframe. Though their industries and strategies differ, these firms all conduct ample due...