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There is no universally best way to finance an acquisition. Irish businesses should compare cash, debt, equity, seller financing and blended structures against the deal’s expected returns, the buyer’s ability to withstand downside, and the liquidity needed after closing.
This guide draws on views reported by Sandra O’Connell in an Irish Examiner advertising feature published on 2 October 2026. Its contributors’ financing observations are useful decision prompts, not transaction-specific advice or a substitute for comparing actual lender and investor terms.
Start with the acquisition and the cash it really requires
Before comparing financing, define what the acquisition is meant to achieve and how much capital the transaction needs. The purchase price is only one part of that requirement: the combined business also needs enough liquidity and working capital to operate and integrate after closing.
The Irish Examiner feature reports that the right answer depends on strategic objectives, balance-sheet strength, cost of capital, risk appetite and expected returns. Stephen Kane, Goodbody’s head of corporate advisory, put it this way: “Acquisitions should be an extension of strategy, not a substitute for one.”
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Then test the target’s cash flows and the combined business’s ability to handle weaker-than-expected performance. Predictable cash flow can support debt capacity, but repayment obligations become more difficult if the acquisition underperforms.
Compare the main funding routes
| Funding route | Potential advantage | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer’s cash | Can provide speed and certainty without adding financing execution risk, while preserving ownership control. | Reduces liquidity available for operations, resilience or other investments; consider what return the cash could otherwise earn. |
| Traditional bank debt | Can preserve existing equity and may fit an established business with predictable cash flows. | Repayments, covenants, leverage and refinancing exposure can limit flexibility and magnify downside as well as upside. |
| Alternative lending | The feature says it may offer more flexible repayment structures than bank debt. | It describes this borrowing as more expensive than bank lending. Availability and terms depend on the lender. |
| Buyer shares or share consideration | Can reduce the cash required at closing and let the seller participate in the combined business’s future growth. | Existing shareholders share ownership. The economics depend on negotiated valuation and terms. |
| Private equity or other third-party equity | Adds capital for an acquisition without increasing debt. | Dilutes ownership and may bring investor governance and involvement in strategic decisions. |
| Vendor financing | Can reduce the buyer’s immediate funding requirement; the feature says it may signal seller confidence. | Creates future payment obligations and continued financial exposure between buyer and seller. |
| Earn-out | Can bridge a valuation gap by making part of the consideration depend on future performance, reducing the upfront amount. | Ambiguous measures or terms can lead to disputes and misalignment over the business’s post-close strategy. |
| Blended funding | Combines sources to tailor the package to the transaction and longer-term business needs, potentially easing cash-flow pressure. | Requires coordination of repayments, control, covenants, timing and liquidity across instruments. |
| Invoice finance or asset-based funding | The feature says eligible receivables may support a facility as part of a wider funding package. | Eligibility and terms are not established by the feature; not every sales ledger qualifies, and funding is not assured. |
The table summarizes options and trade-offs described in the Irish Examiner advertising feature; it is not a ranking or a comparison of quoted offers. The feature’s description of interest deductibility as a potential benefit of debt should not be treated as a tax conclusion for a specific deal. Ask an Irish tax adviser to assess the consequences for the transaction.
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Assess the trade-offs that can change the decision
Cost and repayment capacity
Compare total financing cost, fees and repayment timing, not just an interest rate or the amount available. Model payments against realistic downside cases, including weaker target cash flow or slower integration. For debt, review security, covenants and refinancing exposure alongside the repayment schedule.
Liquidity after closing
Set a minimum amount of cash and working capital the business needs to keep after the deal. Include integration needs and ongoing operations, as well as resilience against disruption. Using all available cash may avoid borrowing costs, but it can leave the business with fewer resources for those demands or future opportunities.
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Ownership, control and flexibility
Debt can preserve equity, but its obligations and covenants can constrain decisions. Equity avoids adding debt but changes ownership and may affect governance. Vendor finance and earn-outs can defer part of the funding need, but leave obligations or performance-linked terms to manage after closing.
Execution and strategic fit
Consider how quickly each route can be arranged and how certain it is to complete, then weigh that against its cost and longer-term effect on the business. A funding package should support the acquisition thesis without putting routine operations or future investment capacity under avoidable pressure.
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Use a practical sequence to build the funding package
- Define the purpose and capital need. Set out the acquisition rationale, expected returns and the funding required for both the transaction and post-close needs.
- Stress-test cash flow. Review the target’s predictability and the combined business’s ability to meet obligations if performance is weaker than expected.
- Protect operating liquidity. Decide how much working capital and cash must remain available for integration, normal operations and resilience after closing.
- Compare complete terms. Review fees, repayment timing, security, covenants, refinancing exposure and conditions across actual proposals, not merely headline amounts.
- Check control and capacity for what comes next. Assess dilution, investor decision rights, seller obligations and the package’s effect on future borrowing or investment.
- Have transaction-specific terms reviewed. Seek appropriate Irish legal and tax advice on the proposed debt, share consideration, vendor finance or earn-out before committing.
A blended structure can combine traditional debt, equity, asset-based lending or invoice finance rather than relying on a single source. Laura Gilbride, PwC Ireland’s partner in deals, said: “The optimal structure blends these, funding growth while retaining as much equity as possible.” That is a view, not a universal formula: the mix still has to work under the transaction’s actual terms and cash-flow assumptions. Ala Browne, sales lead at Bibby Financial Services, also described blended funding as increasingly used for transactions; that commercial observation does not establish the eligibility, cost or suitability of any facility.
What the reported acquisition interest does—and does not—show
The Irish Examiner advertising feature reported that 34% of Irish businesses planned to explore a merger or acquisition transaction in 2026, attributing the figure to Bibby Financial Services’ SME Confidence Tracker. It also reported that a further 14% were considering a full sale. The feature’s indexed text does not supply the tracker’s sample size or methodology, and the figures were not independently verified here; they should be read as reported survey findings, not as a measure of every Irish business.
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Where to get transaction-specific advice
For a complex acquisition, corporate finance or debt advisory support can help assess financing sources and structure. KPMG Ireland describes corporate finance services for buyers, sellers, borrowers, lenders and financial investors, including M&A and debt advisory: KPMG Ireland corporate finance. Its fundraising service describes advice on debt, mezzanine and equity sources: KPMG Ireland fundraising for business. These pages describe services; they do not validate the feature’s general financing claims or establish a particular provider’s suitability.
Before selecting a lender or facility, verify current availability, eligibility, pricing, fees, security and repayment terms directly. Have Irish legal and tax advisers review terms against the buyer’s circumstances.
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