Due diligence is an integral part of the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) process. It’s a comprehensive, investigative review of a target company’s business operations, financials, legal, and other areas that can help buyers assess if the acquisition is truly beneficial. A due diligence M&A checklist includes both technical and qualitative reviews to ensure that a proposed purchase agreement is more likely to lead to successful outcomes when closing on the deal. This includes reviewing a target company’s financial statements, customer contracts, intellectual property issues, tax filings, real estate holdings, human resources policies, and a host of other topics. By conducting due diligence on all aspects of a target company before signing a deal, buyers can have greater confidence that they are making a smart investment.