In M&A terminology, the target (société cible) is the company being acquired in a transaction. Its identification, valuation and analysis are the core activities of a buy-side M&A process. Selecting the right target requires alignment between the acquirer's strategic objectives, the target's competitive position, financial performance, cultural fit and acquisition price. In a sell-side process, the target is the company being sold — its optimised presentation to potential acquirers through the Information Memorandum and data room is the key to maximising price.

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Example: Hectelion's buy-side client identifies a Swiss precision engineering SME as target — a CHF 18.0 million revenue company with 14% EBITDA margin, proprietary manufacturing technology and a 25-year relationship with three Tier-1 automotive OEMs. The target's strategic fit (complementary geography, technology and customer base) justifies a 35% premium over intrinsic standalone value, funded by identified synergies of CHF 2.5 million annually.

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Hectelion identifies, values and advises on targets in every buy-side M&A mandate, providing a rigorous strategic and financial assessment.