In today’s business environment characterized by geopolitical turmoil, regional armed conflicts and pronounced fragmentation of the global market, internal (organic) growth seems insufficient, therefore the option of external growth is the focus of an increasing number of companies. Strategic acquisition as a method of external growth has its origin in the development strategy, while the success of strategic acquisition depends on the synergetic potential of the companies that are integrated and the ability to materialize this potential in the form of additional returns in the post-acquisition period. The economic justification of a strategic acquisition exists if the companies entering the acquisition are worth more as a whole than as independent entities. The primary source of added value in a strategic acquisition is definitely operational synergy. Operational synergy through acquisition enables the creation of additional returns as a result of a high level of resource complementarity of two or more business entities within the core business. This type of synergy is expressed in the reduction of costs and the increase of income in the post-acquisition period. The key variables for evaluating the future benefits from synergy are: the value of the potential synergy, the probability of materialization and the period in which the benefits from the synergy will be realized. Also, we should not ignore the effects of financial synergy as a source of added value, which manifests itself through a reduction in the price of borrowed capital, a reduction in the need for additional capital, and greater collateral capacity. better liquidity performance, as well as the effect of financial leverage if the acquisition is paid for with cash obtained on the basis of debt. An equally important significant factor for the success of the acquisition, apart from the correctly estimated value of the synergy, is the ratio of the distribution of the synergistic gain between the acquiring company and the target company. Part of the synergistic gain that is appropriated by the owners of the target company in the form of a premium depends on the market value of the target company in the pre-acquisition period, the relative rarity of resources that contribute to the creation of synergy, and the interest of other bidders in the target company and their economic strength.