M&A transactions down in number but up in value
THE number of M&A deals in the Midlands in the first half of the year was down slightly on last year’s corresponding total but the value of deals was markedly higher.
Statistics compiled by Experian show that 280 deals were completed in the region in the first half of this year compared to 290 in the first half of 2011. But the value of those deals was £11.37bn in the first six months of 2012 compared to £7.39bn in H1 2012.
The total value of UK M&A deals during January-June 2012 amounted to £141bn – an increase of almost 30% on the same period last year. But the national picture reflects the local one in that the actual volume of deals for this same period has fallen by 10%.
The only areas in the UK to see the number of transactions rise year-on-year were the South West, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
The UK mid-market (transactions worth between £10m and £100m) and small segments (transactions worth between £0.5m and £10m) saw declines in both volume and value in HY1 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The mid-market was down by around 20 per cent in volume and value, with small deals down by just over 12 per cent for both.
Wendy Driver, business development manager at Experian UK&I, said: “The number of multi-billion pound deals involving top-level corporate UK businesses that have taken place recently highlights an increased interest in the UK market and reflects the quality of UK businesses.”
