Definition: Taking ownership of another business. Frequently used in conjunction with the word "merger", as in "mergers and acquisitions" or "M&A".
This should not be confused with a merger. In an acquisition, one company purchases the assets and majority ownership of the other company for a combination of cash, stock, and other consideration. In a true merger, a new corporation is formed that combines the assets of the two companies and grants the shareholders of each original company stock in the new company based on the relative valuations of the two original companies.
Pronunciation: ak-wih-zih-shun • (noun)
Also Known As: buying a business, takeover, cash merger
Common Misspellings: aquisition (358,000 Google entries means a lot of people leave out the "c"), acquasition, aquasition
Examples: At first, Rob said his company wasn't for sale, but when he heard the offer, he said that acquisition was a definite possibility.