Over the past half-decade, we’ve experienced a financial- and strategic-buyer profile that has pressed forward with M&A unaffected by the global political, economic and market risks that populate our news feeds on a daily basis.
And despite transactions becoming increasingly expensive, 2016 recorded the highest overall deal value we’ve seen in that timeframe, according to our 2016 Annual M&A Report. For visual highlights from the publication, check out the following charts:
M&A activity has been strong in North America and Europe for several years
M&A activity has declined recently, though value has stayed near historic levels
The median and average M&A deal size ($B) has seen massive growth
Median valuation to EBITDA in M&A deals has grown in each of the past three years
While M&A multiples have climbed considerably, debt usage has remained relatively low
A quarterly breakdown of M&A multiples shows a steady rise through 4Q
B2B commanded activity, but B2C owned value in 2016 (thanks to SABMiller and TWC)
PE buyout activity declined overall, but add-on percentage continued its steady climb
Secondary buyouts account for a growing percentage of PE-backed exits
For more analysis on M&A in North America and Europe, download our 2016 Annual M&A Report.
Article by Kyle Stanford, PitchBook
