Business analysis
Practical perspectives on company analysis, benchmarking, financial performance and strategic decision-making.
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Company valuation tools for M&A: a practical breakdown and what to look for
Valuation is where deal decisions get made and defended. Here is a practical breakdown of what valuation tools need to deliver for M&A, PE, and advisory teams, and which approach holds up best.

Company benchmarking tools for M&A: a practical breakdown and what to look for
Benchmarking a company against the right peers is one of the most time-intensive steps in any deal process. Here is what a serious benchmarking tool needs to deliver, and what sets the best apart.

EU AI Act compliance for audit firms: what the documentation requirements actually mean
The EU AI Act is in force. For audit and valuation teams using AI, the documentation, reproducibility, and human oversight obligations are already creating real compliance exposure.

Cost of capital under IDW S 1 and KFS/BW 1: why your beta factor needs a paper trail
Germany's IDW S 1 and Austria's KFS/BW 1 were both rewritten in 2026, tightening the rules on cost of capital. Here is what changes for beta factors, peer groups, and audit trails.

Company valuation tools: what professional advisors and analysts actually need
Valuation is one of the most consequential tasks in professional services. Here is what a serious valuation tool needs to deliver for auditors, restructuring experts, and corporate finance teams.

AI agents in auditing: the Big Four are moving fast, and liability stays human
EY, Deloitte, PwC and KPMG are deploying AI agents to handle independent audit steps. The technology is moving quickly. The liability question is not yet resolved. Here is what it means in practice.

M&A benchmarking tools: what actually matters in 2026
A practitioner's breakdown of M&A benchmarking tools, what separates useful from generic, and why StrategyBridgeAI's Hawk Eye is setting a new standard for deal teams.

Why banks need a new quality of decision support in 2026
Credit decisions need to be faster and better grounded, yet data complexity keeps growing. Louis Flach on why classic analysis hits its limits and what a better approach looks like in 2026.
