M&A in Q4: The Clock Is Ticking

As many of us head out for a late-summer break, the calendar quietly rolls forward. And with it, the final stretch of 2025 execution begins to take shape.

If you’re contemplating M&A, whether a full sale, strategic acquisition, or something in between, here’s something worth considering while on the beach. You still have time to close this year, but only if you’re structured and ready to move as soon as September begins.

M&A isn’t a quick win. Even in ideal conditions, a transaction takes four to six months from kickoff to close. That means a September launch is the final viable window for getting something over the line by year-end.

Unlike fundraising, which is increasingly looking toward Q1 allocations, M&A remains active. Buyers are engaging. Strategic acquirers are building. What’s changed is that process quality has become the gating factor.

Readiness Is Process, Not Just Intent

Most founders underestimate what readiness looks like. Interest from a buyer doesn’t mean a deal is happening. An NDA doesn’t equal momentum. And a term sheet is just a midpoint, not a milestone.

If you want to complete a deal by December 31st, you’ll need more than intent. You’ll need a well-structured process, internal alignment, and support that can keep pace.

Here’s the approach many high-performing scale-ups are adopting.

A Four-Gate M&A Process: What Well-Run Looks Like

Gate 0: Strategic Fit and Origination
Define your M&A thesis. Don’t just ask whether it’s time to sell. Ask who the right buyers are, what creates strategic tension, and what success looks like for your shareholders, customers, and teams.

Gate 1: Business Case and Validation
Build your rationale. Set valuation anchors, outline synergy hypotheses, and stress-test internal assumptions. This is also where you begin shaping deal structure and conducting early diligence on yourself.

Gate 2: Confirmatory Diligence and Final Offers
Legal, financial, and technology diligence must be comprehensive, anticipatory, and well-orchestrated. Buyers will expect structured responses, clean documentation, and early visibility into post-close performance.

Gate 3: Execution Readiness and Day One Planning
Even before signing, execution readiness must be in motion. Integration planning, governance alignment, and closing logistics should already be underway, especially for platform acquisitions or carve-outs.

Looking Ahead to September

If you’re considering M&A, now is the time to reflect and prepare.

You don’t need all the answers, but you do need to be deliberate. The best processes are not reactive. They are engineered to control timing, shape buyer behavior, and minimize surprises.

You can still close a transaction in 2025. But only if you’re ready to run it like one.

If you’d like to benchmark your current strategy or validate your process before Q4 begins in earnest, feel free to get in touch.

Until then, enjoy the sun. September will be here quickly.

Let’s make sure what you’re building aligns with where the market is going. I’m in London throughout September if you’d like to discuss more.

Tom C. Schapira
Founder and CEO
Imagine Capital Group
E: [email protected]
Website http://www.imaginecapitalgroup.com

Securities Offered through Wellesley Hills Securities. Member FINRA/SIPC