akquisition

Akquisition is a term used in German-speaking business discourse to denote the act of acquiring assets, a company, or customers. In German, the word is commonly used for both corporate transactions (Unternehmenskauf) and for customer acquisition (Kundengewinnung). In English, the corresponding term is acquisition; the German form Akquisition is a loanword adopted in business and marketing contexts. The concept originates from Latin acquisitio and shares its core meaning of obtaining control or ownership.

In corporate practice, an acquisition occurs when one company purchases another by acquiring its shares or assets. Acquisitions can be friendly, with agreement from the target, or hostile, arising from unsolicited offers. They may involve purchasing a minority or a majority stake, or a full takeover, and they often aim to create synergies, expand market share, gain technology, or access new customers or geographic regions.

The acquisition process typically includes strategy development, target screening, due diligence, valuation and deal structuring, financing, negotiations, and closing, followed by post-merger integration. Valuation commonly uses metrics such as enterprise value and EBITDA, while financing may involve cash, debt, or equity. Regulatory approvals and antitrust review may be required, especially for larger transactions or in sensitive industries.

In marketing contexts, customer acquisition refers to activities designed to attract and convert new buyers, often measured by customer acquisition cost and lifetime value. The term Akquisition thus covers both corporate purchases and market expansion, depending on the context and language.