Cloud Bills Attach to High-Multiple Software Acquisitions

Software buyers are continuing to pay high premiums for acquisitions, with the median strategic buyer paying six times trailing revenue in the first half of 2026, according to Kroll's August 17 sector update. This marks a return to pre-pandemic levels, as buyers bid prices back up after a brief dip.

But what does this mean for companies that are acquired? According to Serhii Matiushchenko, a Senior Member of Technical Staff at Salesforce, the answer lies in the cloud bill. In an interview with Analytics Insight, he explained that when companies are sold at these high multiples, they often come with their cloud bills attached.

Matiushchenko has spent over 20 years working on cloud infrastructure and has seen firsthand how companies can optimize their cloud costs without sacrificing performance or reliability. He believes that the key to reducing waste is to understand where it's coming from - often two layers below where the finance report points.

With companies like Zoomin Software, which was acquired by Salesforce in 2024 for around $450 million, the focus on cloud cost optimization has become increasingly important. Matiushchenko and his team were able to reduce the company's cloud costs by at least 30% while maintaining performance and reliability.