Grant Austen, the head of Austen Plastics, yearns for retirement. So when Scofield Industries, by far his largest customer, threatens to take its business elsewhere, Austen considers selling his company. He hires a consulting firm, which finds an interested potential buyer, the notorious Cash McCall.
Cash meets with Austen and his daughter Lory, who owns part of the company. Austen conceals the problem with Scofield Industries. Afterwards, Cash speaks to Lory privately - he talks about the previous summer when they first met and became instantly attracted to each other. However, when Lory showed up at his cabin later that summer night, Cash was not ready for a serious relationship and turned her down. Mortified by the rejection, she fled. Upon further thought, Cash realized he had made a mistake. Not really interested in the company, he overpays for Austen Plastics just so he can talk to her.
Before the deal is finalized, Cash's assistant Gil Clark discovers that Austen Plastics holds patents essential to Scofield Industries. Its alarmed boss, retired Army General Danvers, tries to buy Austen Plastics himself. Cash then decides that he could run Scofield more profitably and starts buying up controlling interest in the second company.
In the middle of all the dealmaking, Cash proposes marriage to Lory, and she accepts. However, the assistant manager of the hotel where Cash resides, Maude Kennard, wants Cash herself, and tricks Lory into believing that she is Cash's girlfriend. Meanwhile, one of Austen's business acquaintances convinces him that Cash swindled him and paid much less than the company is worth, prompting Austen to decide to go to court. Eventually, everything is cleared up, and Cash and Lory reconcile.