This Practice Note provides an overview of the purpose, nature and scope of the due diligence process that is carried out by a potential buyer prior to the acquisition of shares in a private limited company or the acquisition of a business and its assets (the target).
Purpose and initial considerations for the buyer
Purpose of due diligence
The starting point for a buyer in any share or asset purchase transaction is the maxim caveat emptor (let the buyer beware). Since the seller is under no duty to disclose to the buyer any defects in, and liabilities of, the target, the buyer will always need to conduct its own investigations. It will therefore instruct advisers to conduct due diligence (whether commercial, legal, tax, financial or otherwise) and prepare due diligence reports to highlight material issues arising from their review exercise.
From the buyer’s perspective, the purpose of due diligence is risk management. With the information obtained about the target as a result of due diligence investigations, the buyer can:
- •
make an informed decision as to whether to enter into the
Access this content for free with a 7 day trial of LexisNexis and benefit from:
- Instant clarification on points of law
- Smart search
- Workflow tools
- 42 practice areas
Get your quote today and take step closer to being able to benefit from:
- Instant clarification on points of law
- Smart search
- Workflow tools
- 36 practice areas
Get a LexisNexis quote
* denotes a required field
To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it,
sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.
Powered by Lexis+®
Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom
Key definition:
Due diligence definition
What does Due diligence mean?
Due diligence means that all reasonable precautions were taken and all due diligence was exercised to avoid the commission of the offence. This requires the defendant to produce evidence of the system and procedures it has devised in an effort to avoid unfair practices.
CONTACT US
