Baruch Lev, Professor Emeritus of Accounting and Finance at NYU, and Feng Gu, Professor of Accounting and Law at SUNY, delve into the complexities of mergers and acquisitions. They reveal that 75% of deals fail, primarily due to overconfidence among CEOs. The duo discusses a practical scorecard for assessing acquisition success and identifies patterns that lead to successful mergers. They also highlight the psychological pitfalls that often cloud decision-making and share key lessons for executives seeking growth through acquisitions.

Baruch Lev and Feng Gu, co-authors of The M&A Failure Trap, share their insights on why 70% of mergers fail. Lev, a leading authority in corporate finance, and Gu, an expert in corporate acquisitions, discuss the pitfalls of over-optimism and lack of due diligence in M&As. They introduce a unique scorecard that evaluates key success variables like deal size and employee dynamics. The conversation highlights the crucial need for strategic planning and accountability to avoid costly acquisition mistakes.