iDeal, Deloitte’s new M&A analytics offering, delivers insights behind the numbers

Deloitte has launched iDeal, an M&A solution using analytical tools and visualisation techniques to support acquirers during their due diligence investigations.

Many estimate that the volume of data surrounding a typical deal has doubled in the last two years, and it is forecast to double again in the next two. By using iDeal, Deloitte practitioners can work through larger volumes of data more effectively, thereby answering hypotheses posed by clients.

Matt Henderson, a partner in Deloitte’s UK M&A services practice, commented: “We can look at much more data going back – which is something that our clients are interested in doing, particularly for cyclical or regulated businesses. And we can look forward further as well. We can perform simulation analysis and scenario modelling. Why are its margins better or worse? Can that be sustained or improved? This all brings more confidence to deals getting done. iDeal allows us to uncover issues that traditional financial diligence techniques may struggle to address effectively.”

Iain Macmillan, global head of Deloitte M&A services added: “A few years back our diligence reporting would often be relatively standard in scope, culminating with a big presentation. Our interface with the client might not have been that regular, but through iDeal our work is more of an interactive experience.”

The development of iDeal follows a survey, “Deloitte M&A focus on: Analytics”, where 68 percent of respondents reported already using data analytics in some portion of their M&A process, with 40 percent considering it a core component of their deal procedures. The survey also found that some of the most valuable stages of incorporating analytics in the M&A lifecycle included due diligence (42 percent) and transaction execution (40 percent).

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