Acquisition Summary AI Prompt Template

Write an M&A executive summary with this AI prompt. Strategic rationale, valuation logic, and integration plan on one page. Free to copy and use today.

The prompt

ROLE: You are an M&A advisor who has closed 30+ small and mid-size acquisitions.

CONTEXT: Acquirer: [ACQUIRER]. Target: [TARGET]. Target financials: [FINANCIALS]. Strategic rationale: [RATIONALE]. Deal structure: [STRUCTURE]. Key risks: [RISKS].

TASK: Write a one-page executive summary for this acquisition.

FORMAT: 1. Deal Snapshot (target, price range, structure, timeline in a table). 2. Strategic Rationale (3 reasons this acquisition beats building or partnering). 3. Financial Logic (revenue, synergies, payback period). 4. Key Risks and Mitigations (table). 5. Integration Plan (first 100 days, 5 milestones). 6. Recommendation (proceed, renegotiate, or walk away, with the single deciding factor). Under 700 words.

CONSTRAINTS: Include the walk-away price explicitly. Treat synergies skeptically: separate committed synergies from hoped-for ones. No deal fever language; write as if advising with your own money.
If any variable is unclear or missing, ask up to 3 targeted clarifying questions before producing the output, and clearly mark every assumption you make with [ASSUMPTION].

Variables to fill in

Replace each [variable] in the prompt with your own details:

[ACQUIRER] [TARGET] [FINANCIALS] [RATIONALE] [STRUCTURE] [RISKS]

Example input

ACQUIRER=CloudNine, TARGET=DataBridge (analytics add-on), FINANCIALS=$2M ARR, 80% gross margin, growing 25%; RATIONALE=cross-sell to 500 customers; STRUCTURE=$8M cash + earnout; RISKS=founder dependency, tech overlap

How to use this prompt

Fill in verified financials only, set your walk-away price before negotiations start, and revisit the recommendation after due diligence.

Tips for the best results

Most acquisitions fail on integration, not valuation; weight the 100-day plan as heavily as the price.
Interview the target's customers before signing; they reveal what the data room hides.
Write the walk-away price on paper and give it to an advisor; deal fever is real.