Yesterday we discussed the growth of global M&A activity in the first quarter of 2011. Today we look at mergers and acquisitions activity data for North America (the acquired companies are located in either the U.S. or Canada). As we learned yesterday, according to Mergermarket, deal-making is up across the board so far in 2011.

Although deal-making volume is relatively flat when you compare the first quarter of 2011 to the first quarter of 2010, it is up substantially from the bottom of the last M&A cycle in the first quarter of 2009. In fact, it is up an estimated 35 percent from that low point (see the red line and boxes below). [Read more…]