We hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Independence Day. Today’s edition of the M&A Weekly Digest features a spotlight on the recent merger of Del Monte Foods and Natural Balance Pet Foods that is the perfect example of how private businesses can benefit from partnering with a private equity firm. We also discuss a 2013 M&A trend that continues – business buyers focusing on small deals. [Read more…]
Mergers And Acquisitions Activity Up By 30%
If you want to sell your business, your timing couldn’t be any better. According to the ACG (Association for Corporate Growth), M&A activity is up by 30% through May of this year. The ACG’s 14,000 members include professionals from private equity firms, corporations and lenders that invest in middle-market companies, as well as law, accounting, investment banking, and other firms that provide advisory services. It is an international organization dedicated to fostering sound corporate growth primarily via mergers and acquisitions.
Because their membership is largely skewed towards dealmakers focusing on the U.S. middle market, their information is a really good barometer of M&A activity. According to the ACG, although M&A activity has not reached pre-recession levels yet, valuations have largely recovered. Given the significant amount of capital chasing deals right now, this is not surprising. In fact, according to Pricewaterhouse Coopers, we are at the beginning stages of a seller’s market. [Read more…]
North American M&A Activity in Q1
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…]