The fact that buyer and seller agree on a number does not mean the number is economically supported. Agreement is not valuation.

One of the most common acquisition mistakes is assuming that because both parties have agreed to a purchase price, the value question has been answered.

It has not.

Agreement proves one thing: that two parties accepted a number.

It does not prove that the number is supported by normalized cash flow, transferable economics, asset base, risk, or market reality.

That is why buyers need to be careful about treating price as evidence.

A negotiated price can reflect: urgency, emotion, broker influence, optimism, strategic desire, incomplete diligence, financing availability, or simple momentum.

None of that is the same thing as supportable value.

Before you close, ask whether the economics of the transaction actually justify the number—not whether the parties are comfortable repeating it.

Do not let negotiated certainty replace analytical discipline.