Lucille Jones, Deals Intelligence Analyst, Refinitiv comments: “Deals totalling US$469 billion were announced globally during the month of April 2021, 14% less than the all-time record monthly total of US$548 billion recorded last month, but the highest April total since our records began in 1980. It takes the value of worldwide M&A announced during the first four months of this year to a staggering US$1.77 trillion, 124% more than the same period last year and the highest year-to-date total of all-time.”
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Highlights:
- Record April for M&A announcements.
- Tech dominates M&A activity for 9th month; Tech M&A reaches all-time YTD high and all-time monthly high; tech M&A accounts for 25% of overall M&A so far this year.
- Record YTD tally of mega deals recorded so far during 2021.
- Spac acquisitions reached all-time YTD high and third highest monthly total on record.
- Private equity-backed deal value doubles YTD to all-time high by both value and number of deals.
- Americas M&A reaches 22-month high and YTD high; European M&A up 28% YTD; Asia Pacific M&A at six-year high.
US, Tech, Spac, mega, and private equity-backed deals drive worldwide M&A to an all-time YTD record level of $1.77 trillion, more than double the value recorded at this time last year
Worldwide M&A: YTD Record; All-Time Highest April Total
US$1.77 trillion worth of M&A deals were announced globally during the first four months of 2021, more than double (+124%) the same period last year and the highest year-todate total since our records began in 1980. US$548 billion worth of deals were recorded during March 2021, the highest monthly total since our records began. Deals totalling US$469 billion were announced during April, 14% less than the previous month, but an all-time April record.
Americas M&A Reaches 22-Month High
US$293 billion worth of deals were announced in the Americas during April 2021, a 22-month high and the 4th highest monthly total since records began. M&A in the Americas is at an all-time YTD high of US$1.0 trillion, more than three-times the value recorded at this time last year. Deals involving a target in Europe are up 28% YTD to a three-year high of US$309 billion, while M&A in Asia-Pacific reached US$314 billion, up 56% YTD and a six-year high.
Tech M&A Hits YTD and Monthly Record Level
Technology deals total US$444 billion so far during 2021, more than double the previous YTD record of US$216 billion recorded in 2000. Tech deals account for 25% of global M&A by value so far this year, up from 12% in YTD 2020. US$167.2 billion worth of tech deals were announced during April 2021, the highest monthly total since our records began. Tech has been the leading M&A sector for nine consecutive months, since August 2020.
Spac M&A: 3rd Highest Month and All-Time YTD High
23 spac combinations worth a combined US$55 billion were announced globally during April 2021, the third highest monthly total by both value and by number of deals of all time. Spac acquisitions reached US$287 billion during the first four months of 2021, 37-times the value recorded during YTD 2020 and an all-time YTD high.
Private Equity: All-Time YTD High by Value and # Deals
Private equity-backed M&A totalled US$72 billion during the month of April 2021, 31% less than the value recorded during March 2021, but almost four-times the value recorded during the same month last year.
3,642 private equity-backed M&A deals worth a combined US$312 billion have been recorded so far during 2021, a 129% increase compared to last year and an all-time YTD high by both value and number of deals.
Mega Deals: Highest YTD Tally of All-Time
17 mega deals, worth US$5 billion or more, were announced during April 2021, the 7th highest monthly tally since our records began. The combined value of these deals was US$246 billion, the highest monthly value in 22 months. 65 mega deals have been announced so far during 2021, compared to 24 during the same period last year, and an alltime year-to-date high. The combined value of these deals is US$681 billion, up 155% compared to last year.
