As a strategy, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) hold the promise of adding value and refreshing the financial landscape for large and small corporations. And despite inevitable changes in regulations, markets, and industries, M&A transactions—which include divestitures and other restructurings—continue to evolve and thrive as a tactic for growth.

But a successful M&A transaction requires careful information-gathering and modeling followed by discerning analysis—a complex process that has, outside of Wall Street, largely remained a mystery. Until now.

In Mergers, Acquisitions, Divestitures, and Other Restructurings: A Practical Guide to Investment Banking and Private Equity, Paul Pignataro, founder and CEO of the New York School of Finance, offers a clear, step-by-step guide to the technical analysis behind M&A, whether you're a novice or an expert investor. He lays out the fundamental tools you need to analyze financial information and determine the key drivers of value—even if you don't have a team of expert analysts on call.

You'll first receive a valuable refresher in the basics of financial statements, such as income statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets. Then, the book deftly guides you through essential M&A transactions, such as determining whether to raise debt or equity, acquire or divest assets, perform accretion or dilution analysis, and more.

You'll soon understand how to perform merger modeling, including mini-merger modeling and fully consolidated merger modeling. And you'll have the opportunity to apply what you've learned to real life. Using the merger of Office Depot and Office Max as a case study, Paul Pignataro puts you into the role of an investment banker, where you get a firsthand perspective as you evaluate this major M&A transaction using the same modeling tools as bulge bracket investment banks and top private equity firms.

Packed with detail, this valuable book also includes a website with downloadable financial models and more.

Whether you're preparing for a career or are an independent investor, this book is the ideal resource to sharpen your analytical skills. It's also the perfect refresher for active investment banking or private equity professionals seeking a thorough review of M&A modeling essentials.

As a strategy, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) hold the promise of adding value and refreshing the finan- cial landscape for large and small corporations. And despite inevitable changes in regulations, markets, and industries, M&A transactions—which include divestitures and other restructurings— continue to evolve and thrive as a tactic for growth.

But a successful M&A transaction requires careful information-gathering and modeling followed by discerning analysis—a complex process that has, outside of Wall Street, largely remained a mystery. Until now.

In Mergers, Acquisitions, Divestitures, and Other Restructurings: A Practical Guide to Investment Banking and Private Equity, Paul Pignataro, founder and CEO of the New York School of Finance, offers a clear, step-by-step guide to the technical analysis behind M&A, whether you're a novice or an expert investor. He lays out the fundamental tools you need to analyze financial information and determine the key drivers of value— even if you don't have a team of expert analysts on call.

You'll first receive a valuable refresher in the basics of financial statements, such as income statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets. Then, the book deftly guides you through essential M&A transactions, such as determining whether to raise debt or equity, acquire or divest assets, perform accretion or dilution analysis, and more.

You'll soon understand how to perform merger modeling, including mini-merger modeling and fully consolidated merger modeling. And you'll have the opportunity to apply what you've learned to real life. Using the merger of Office Depot and Office Max as a case study, Paul Pignataro puts you into the role of an investment banker, where you get a firsthand perspective as you evaluate this major M&A transaction using the same modeling tools as bulge bracket investment banks and top private equity firms.

Packed with detail, this valuable book also includes a website with downloadable financial models and more.

Whether you're preparing for a career or are an independent investor, this book is the ideal resource to sharpen your analytical skills. It's also the perfect refresher for active investment banking or private equity professionals seeking a thorough review of M&A modeling essentials.