Mergers and Acquisitions: Structuring the Deal from FutureLearn

Week 1 - Review, Documents & Legal Structures Understand the documents like engagement letters, confidentiality agreements, term sheets, letters of intent and the structures that underpin M&A Week 2 - Triangular Mergers, Tax and Accounting Notes Review tax considerations, tax-free deals and further accounting rules Week 3 - Considerations and Structuring Learn about advanced structuring, tax loss mergers, break up/sum of parts/split off, LBOs merger structure, roll ups, consolidation plays, distressed/bankruptcy structures, Special Purpose Acquisition Corps (SPAC), reverse merger and a private equity industry review Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is ideal for financial analysts and associates. It is also suitable for directors and managers who have transitioned, or hope to transition, to mergers and acquisitions from other areas, such as equities or fixed income. To get the most from this course you will need a good knowledge of financial analysis, a basing understanding of corporate finance (TVM, cash flows and discounting) and be well-practised with MS Excel.

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Reviews summary

Practical m&a deal structuring insights

According to learners, this course provides invaluable insights into M&A deal structuring, consistently praising the instructor's deep real-world expertise and the practical focus on legal documents and complex structures like LBOs and SPACs. Many found it highly relevant for finance professionals. However, a recurring theme is the significant prerequisite knowledge required, with some finding the pace challenging or certain sections too high-level, particularly regarding tax and accounting. While the content is strong and current, a few noted the presentation style could be more engaging.

Covers a broad range of M&A legal structures and deal mechanics.

"This course was a fantastic deep dive into the practical aspects of M&A deal structuring... I especially appreciated the detailed examples of various legal structures and the nuances of tax implications."

"A solid overview of M&A structuring. The content is well-organized, and the progression of topics from basic documents to complex structures like SPACs was logical."

"The detailed breakdown of engagement letters and term sheets was incredibly useful."

Instructor provides invaluable practical and real-world knowledge.

"The instructor's real-world experience truly shone through, providing invaluable insights beyond just theoretical knowledge."

"Absolutely invaluable for anyone looking to understand the intricacies of M&A... The instructor is top-notch, clearly an expert in the field."

"The instructor's ability to simplify complex legal and financial concepts was impressive. A must-take for anyone working on transactions."

Some lectures felt dry, lacking interactive elements or dynamism.

"The course has good information, but the delivery could be improved. Sometimes the explanations felt a bit dry, and I wished there were more interactive elements or case studies..."

"The course is informative, but the production quality of some lectures felt a bit dated... I just wish the overall presentation was more dynamic."

Pacing can be fast, with some topics needing more depth.

"While the instructor is knowledgeable, some sections felt a bit rushed, especially the accounting notes. I found myself needing to pause frequently to absorb the information."

"Good course overall... I found myself looking for external resources to supplement some of the tax and accounting discussions, which felt a little brief given their complexity."

"The course is generally well-structured, but I felt some explanations were a bit too high-level for such complex topics. For example, the LBO section could have used more numerical examples."

Demands a strong finance background; challenging for unprepared learners.

"I struggled with this course... I felt the pace was too fast for me. I have some finance background, but perhaps not enough to keep up with the assumed prior knowledge."

"It does assume a strong finance background, so definitely brush up on your corporate finance basics before starting."

"I found this course extremely difficult to follow without a very strong existing knowledge of M&A. The description states prerequisites, but it felt like a masters-level class."

"I found this course highly relevant... It's not a beginner course, and I benefited from having a solid grasp of financial modeling and valuation."

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