If you are contemplating a merger or acquisition, then know the road to M&A success is a dangerous one.

• A recent KMPG study, found that over 85 percent of mergers and acquisitions fail. 

• Another study, by A.T. Kearney, found that the total return to shareholders on 115 global M&A transactions was negative 58% of the time.

Companies that fail to plan properly for their mergers and acquisitions are surely doomed to repeat the sins of their corporate brethren. No company would enter into a merger and acquisition transaction without planning, but by paying heed to these five tips, companies can succeed as one strong organization.