Signs of mid-market M&A recovery in 2010
Grant Thornton optimistic despite a larger than anticipated fall in deal activity last year
The drop-off in merger activity last year was much worse than expected, but
corporate finance advisers still feel there are reasons to be optimistic about
mid-market deals in 2010.
Figures from Grant Thornton showed that in 2009, the number of mergers and
acquisitions involving all British targets fell nearly a quarter to 2,086, the
lowest since 1994. The total value of deals announced in Britain dropped by a
third to £97.6bn.
“M&A activity in 2009 turned out to be worse than the corporate finance
fraternity had anticipated, but in the UK we see grounds to be cautiously
optimistic about mid-market M&A for 2010,” said David Brooks, head of M
&A at Grant Thornton.
“Aside from distressed M&A, there are a growing number of private company
sales driven by a rising level of interest from acquisitive corporates and a
somewhat improved funding environment.”