FirmKey’s partners specialize in M&A readiness and financial clean-up—from due diligence and sell-side prep to post-deal integration, compliance, and audit preparation.
What is M&A readiness and why it matters
M&A readiness ensures your company’s financials, operations, and compliance frameworks are well-prepared for a transaction. FirmKey’s network partners conduct comprehensive financial due diligence to evaluate risks, opportunities, and overall transaction readiness. For both sell-side readiness and buy-side readiness, having accurate, reliable, and clean financial data is essential to drive value, reduce diligence costs, and prevent deal failures.
Experts in FirmKey’s network provide M&A financial preparation services including financial performance analysis, working capital analysis, M&A financial close planning, and M&A scalability planning. These services are designed to help companies demonstrate Operational and Legal Day One readiness, maintain business continuity M&A, and support seamless integration planning.
Premarket financial clean-up: key areas to focus on
Premarket financial clean-up is foundational to successful transactions. FirmKey’s network delivers a structured approach to clean-up efforts through initial assessments and remediation services. These typically include:
- Historical cleanups and cash to accrual conversions
- System optimization and SOP refinement
- Financial statement review and financial reporting cleanup
- Revenue recognition review and expense classification
Preparing for operational and legal day one
Achieving Operational Day One and Legal Day One readiness is critical to maintaining business continuity M&A and avoiding disruptions post-close. FirmKey’s network professionals specialize in:
- Financial close support
- Carve-out financial statements
- Debt management for M&A
- Financial forecast for M&A and cash flow forecasting
- Readiness checkpoints (RCPs) and pressure testing financials
These services align internal functions, facilitate cross-functional alignment M&A, and ensure compliance with M&A regulatory requirements. Through structured planning and execution, your team can transition seamlessly and avoid delays caused by unprepared systems or processes.
How FirmKey helps you navigate M&A with confidence
FirmKey’s network offers deep expertise across the full lifecycle of M&A accounting services. Clients gain access to:
Strategic advisory services
Including valuation analysis, fundraising support, and IPO readiness
Pre-market transaction readiness
Assessments to identify and remediate financial and operational gaps
Financial due diligence
Tailored for small businesses and microcap companies
Post-transaction accounting support
Including financial reporting, integration, and audit prep
Audit services
To support assurance needs, reduce diligence friction, and enhance credibility
Specialized services
Such as tax strategy and compliance, ERP implementation, and financial systems integration
Whether your organization needs guidance on preparing your financials for a business sale, financial clean-up for acquisitions, or M&A support for small businesses, FirmKey’s flexible model ensures you have access to the right expert at the right time.
Explore our M&A Accounting Services and Private Equity Accounting Services for more information on how we support your transaction goals.
Why PE sponsors and investment banks choose FirmKey for M&A readiness
Private equity sponsors and investment banks turn to FirmKey when it’s time to prepare a company for a transaction. Whether they’re supporting a portfolio company preparing for a strategic sale or helping a founder-led business get ready to go to market, FirmKey’s network of accountants, controllers, and CFOs delivers the expertise needed to accelerate M&A readiness.
FirmKey’s network has advised dozens of companies that have successfully exited—ranging from sponsor-backed rollups to VC-funded technology startups. Sponsors and bankers rely on FirmKey to step in quickly and execute the financial clean-up, due diligence prep, audit readiness, and forecasting needed to ensure a smooth process and strong valuation.
By offering fractional, project-based, and outsourced models, FirmKey enables sponsors and advisors to get high-quality execution without the delays or overhead of hiring in-house. Whether the company needs a short-term controller, a strategic CFO, or a full cleanup of its financials, FirmKey connects sponsors with professionals who understand the pace and rigor of M&A.
When time is short and the stakes are high, FirmKey is the partner sponsors and deal teams trust to get their companies transaction-ready.
Does having a CFO help prepare for M&A?
Yes—engaging a CFO can significantly improve your company’s M&A readiness. FirmKey’s network includes fractional CFOs and strategic finance leaders who specialize in supporting companies before, during, and after a transaction. These professionals provide financial leadership and execution across areas such as:
- M&A financial preparation and integration
- Financial modeling and cash flow forecasting
- Quality of earnings analysis and red flag reviews
- Audit readiness and clean financial reporting
- Fundraising support and investor presentation development
- ERP implementation, systems integration, and compliance
- Coordination of due diligence and post-close finance transformation
Specialized Accounting Solutions For Mergers And Acquisitions
FirmKey’s network partners offer transaction advisory services, deal structuring, financial valuation, and M&A tax preparation. They understand the complexities of M&A transactions and deliver tailored solutions such as:
- Internal controls for M&A transactions
- Transaction advisory for M&A
- M&A tax advisory services
- Cash flow analysis for mergers and acquisitions
- Specialized M&A accounting support for private equity firms
- Add-on and bolt-on acquisitions
- Diligence and integration
- Finance and accounting diligence
- Cap table work
- Pro forma analysis
- Restructuring accounting clean up
Post-Transaction Integration And Financial Reporting
Effective post-transaction integration is critical for M&A success. FirmKey’s network partners provide post-transaction integration and M&A financial reporting support, including:
- Systems integration
- ERP integration
- Accounting software integration
- Financial reporting compliance for M&A
- Customized financial packages for investors, lenders, and boards
- Investor reporting
- Board packages