Business combination accounting | Acquisition accounting

Business combination accounting

Complexities can strain your resources when going through a business combination


While your focus is on closing the deal, the earlier you can understand the related accounting and disclosure requirements, the smoother your financial reporting process will be.

Determining the accounting early in the acquisition process might help you avoid unexpected audit adjustments or internal control weaknesses associated with the acquisition accounting.

If you’re managing an acquisition on top of your other duties, the extra work can be daunting – especially when you need to keep everything running smoothly and accurately. It’s vital to get trusted accounting advice from a team with deep expertise in the nuances of business combinations.

Access the expertise you need to bring your business combination accounting front and center

With extensive knowledge of audit practices and experience across a wide variety of transactions, our team can help you through the stages of your acquisition accounting.

We meet you where you are in the acquisition process, filling in your staffing gaps and considering the accounting nuances along the way.

Every business combination is different, so we work with you to customize our solutions to your needs. And if things shift during the acquisition process (we know they often do), our team is able to adjust quickly without compromising quality.

We can work through your business combination from start to finish – or pick up in the middle


Preclose accounting readiness

Our advisers work to identify potential accounting challenges that might affect purchase price. We can review your target’s financial information to provide guidance on terms, reports needed, working capital, and earnout targets.

Working capital closing statement calculations

We can assist with preparing, supporting, and defending final closing statement calculations your team needs for purchase agreements and legal arbitration.

Accounting memos and disclosures

We can assist with various aspects of business combination accounting, including evaluating change of control, assessing asset acquisition versus business combination, calculating purchase price, and drafting required disclosures.

Purchase price allocations

Our team can help allocate the purchase price and calculate the resulting goodwill or bargain purchase gain.

Opening balance sheet

We can bridge the target’s closing trial balance, funds flow, and purchase price allocation to create the opening balance sheet.

Journal entries

Our team can help you decide which journal entries are needed to record the transaction and identify ongoing or recurring entries.

Unwinding private accounting alternatives

We can assist with reversing intangible assets and goodwill accounting alternatives and adjusting to public company requirements. 

SEC pro forma financial information

We can help public companies with specific Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting requirements, including preparing pro forma financial information.

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Work with us


Our team is here to help, with extensive expertise in all facets of business combination accounting. Our team’s work on deals of many different sizes in almost every industry forms the foundation for our expertise. This experience helps us understand and create a plan based on your specific acquisition accounting needs.

Plus, because we are a public accounting and consulting firm with offices across the U.S., we have specialists who can help you with additional needs that might come up during your business combination. We recognize the skills that are required for successful acquisitions and work with you to secure the right talent to support your business needs throughout the process.

Contact our team today to see how we can help you create a custom acquisition accounting plan for your business combination.

Ann Suding
Ann R. Suding
Partner, Consulting
Brian Chmiel
Brian R. Chmiel
Partner, Forensics Consulting

Contact us

Accounting for acquisitions can be a challenge, but you don’t have to do it alone. Contact our Crowe specialists to get the support your team needs.

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