Skip to main content

Mergers and Acquisitions Best Practice Guidelines

Q4 Client being acquired by a non-Q4 client

Two people on tall chairs, talking

Examples:

Celgene (opens in a new window)
Avon (opens in a new window)

Considerations:

Will the acquiring company be taking over your services?

When do updates need to occur on the website?
You should allow for no less than 4 weeks time to have the updates implemented however this could be longer and will depend on the required updates

Recommended updates:

Disclaimer: Please consult with your legal counsel on all requirements for any transition. The below recommendations are based on our current observations on the market.

  • Turn the website into a “one-pager” that directs users to key information & the acquiring company’s site
  • Turn off public access to every page apart from the homepage, press releases, and SEC/Edgar filings
  • Provide quick and easy access to these areas from the homepage
  • Provide quick text blurb about the M&A and when it is expected to close
  • Link to the acquiring company’s IR site (or non-IR site if they’re private)
  • Include an FAQ/shareholder inquiries section with contact info of who they can reach out to should they have questions

Q4 Client Acquiring a Non-Q4 Client

Considerations:

When will you be taking over the acquired company’s services?

When do updates need to occur on the website?
You should allow for no less than 4 weeks time to have the updates implemented however this could be longer and will depend on the requirements

Recommended updates:

Disclaimer: Please consult with your legal counsel on all requirements for any transition. The below recommendations are based on our current observations on the market.

  • Add a new page with further information about the merger (e.g. FAQ)
  • Notice on the homepage to direct users to this new page (e.g. pop-up, banner update, or new widget addition to homepage)
  • Set up a conference call/webcast to discuss the merger with analysts
  • Recommend a redesign if the brand/name is changing
People facing a laptop

Trane Technologies (opens in a new window)
T-Mobile (opens in a new window)

Q4 Client being acquired by another Q4 client

Two people talking at a coffee table

Considerations:

When will you be taking over the acquired company’s services?

How will the new companies information be incorporated?

  • Dual listed stocks
  • Earnings
  • Historical Documents

When do updates need to occur on the website?

You should allow for no less than 4 weeks time to have the updates implemented however this could be longer and will depend on the required updates

Recommended updates:

Disclaimer: Please consult with your legal counsel on all requirements for any transition. The below recommendations are based on our current observations on the market.

For the company being acquired

Turn the site into a “one-pager” that directs users to key information regarding the acquisition. This may also include a link to the acquiring company's site.

  • Turn off public access to every page apart from the homepage, press releases, and SEC/Edgar filings
  • Provide quick and easy access to these areas from the homepage
  • Provide short text blurb about the M&A and when it is expected to close
  • Link to the acquiring company’s IR site (or non-IR site if they’re private)
  • Include an FAQ/shareholders inquiries section with contact info of who they can reach out to should they have questions
Two people looking at a laptop

For the acquiring company

Add a new page to the existing IR site, with further information about the merger. This can include the acquisition press release, acquisition meeting details (conference call/webcast discussion with analysts), and any related financial materials

  • Recommend a redesign if the brand/name is changing
  • Include a new page to address FAQ and further information about the merger
  • Notice on the homepage to direct users to this new page (could be a pop-up, banner update, or new widget added to the homepage)
  • Conference Call & Webcast to announce merger
  • Include historical documents for acquired company

Examples:

T-Mobile (opens in a new window)
Hilton Grand Vacations (opens in a new window)
A person talking on the phone

Q4 Client going from public to private

Although not as frequent as the above examples; a company can choose to go private for several reasons. Most notable include:

  • Public companies need to comply with government regulations (e.g. quarterly earnings requirements). Going private may help the company shift their focus to other long-term developments (e.g. research & development).
  • In most cases, publicly traded companies are acquired by a large private equity group or a consortium of private equity groups. Acquirers typically pay a 20%-40% premium over the current stock price, which increases the value of their holdings.
  • A company can also go from public to private but still maintain public debt. In these situations, the company is no longer publicly traded (no ticker, removal of the stock quote and analyst coverage) but they continue to adhere to all normal disclosure rules (SEC filings, quarterly earnings, etc)

Considerations:

When do updates need to occur on the website?
You should allow for no less than 4 weeks time to have the updates implemented however this could be longer and will depend on the required updates

Two people walking on the street, talking

Recommended Updates:

Disclaimer: Please consult with your legal counsel on all requirements for any transition. The below recommendations are based on our current observations on the market.

Removing or hiding the following widgets/pages:

  • SEC Filings Page
  • Financial Reports
  • Stock Ticker, Stock Quote
  • Analyst Coverage

If the client has a combined IR/Corporate site, they may want to keep the materials for the most recent quarter(s), for a period of time.

If the client has a stand alone IR site, they will likely need to shut down their entire site. In which case, a Site Scrape would be suggested.

Two people talking at their desks