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EMU M&A in China sets new quarterly value record

Chinese M&A in the energy, mining and utilities sector in Q3 of 2020 was by far the highest of any quarter since 2006, with a total of US$105 billion in activity. The largest deal of the sector was PetroChina’s sale of a number of pipeline assets for US$49.1 billion.

EMU M&A in China sets new quarterly value record
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UAE M&A value in Q1-Q3 2020 sets new record

Deal activity in the United Arab Emirates totaled US$35.7 billion in the first three quarters of 2020. This is already higher than any annual total since 2006. This was due to a US$20.3 billion deal between ADPower and TAQA and ADNOC’s US$10.1 billion sale of a stake in its pipeline assets to a consortium of investors.

UAE M&A value in Q1-Q3 2020 sets new record
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Megadeal volume reaches highest quarterly total since Q4 2015

There were 33 megadeals (US$5 billion or larger) in the third quarter of 2020. This is the highest quarterly total since Q4 2015. The largest of these was PetroChina’s US$49.1 billion sale of infrastructure assets.

Megadeal volume reaches highest quarterly total since Q4 2015
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Latin America and the Caribbean deal value reaches record low in Q1-Q3 2020

M&A value in the first three quarters totaled US$29.9 billion in Latin America and the Caribbean—this was the lowest total for the Q1-Q3 period of any year on Mergermarket record (since 2006).

Latin America and the Caribbean deal value reaches record low in Q1-Q3 2020
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UK M&A in the first three quarters rises YOY

UK M&A in the first three quarters of 2020 totaled US$152.5 billion. This is a 23% rise on the same period the year before, even as volume dropped 35% to 728 transactions.

UK M&A in the first three quarters rises YOY
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Semiconductor M&A value reaches highest quarterly total in Q3 2020

Semiconductor M&A in the third quarter totaled US$62.45 billion. This is the highest quarterly total on Mergermarket record (since 2006), due in large part to NVIDIA’s US$38.5 billion bid for UK semiconductor firm ARM.

Semiconductor M&A value reaches highest quarterly total in Q3 2020
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Cross-border M&A fell to the lowest quarterly volume since 2013

There were 1190 cross-border transactions in the first quarter of 2020, a 29% decline on Q4 2019. This was also the lowest quarterly total since the second quarter of 2013.

Cross-border M&A fell to the lowest quarterly volume since 2013
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China M&A volume drops to lowest quarterly total since Q3 2013

There were 247 deals targeting Chinese companies in the first quarter of 2020, a 51% drop below the previous quarter and the lowest of any quarter in over eight years, when 246 transactions were recorded in Q3 2013.

China M&A volume drops to lowest quarterly total since Q3 2013
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French domestic M&A hits highest quarterly value in eleven quarters

French domestic M&A totaled US$12.7 billion, more than double the previous quarter, and the highest total value since Q2 2017. This was mainly due to a single large deal, the US$10 billion merger between payments companies Worldline and Ingenico. The deal is still pending shareholder and regulatory approvals.

French domestic M&A hits highest quarterly value in eleven quarters
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US outbound cross-border PE reaches third highest value on record

The first quarter of 2020 saw US outbound cross-border private equity activity total US$50.6 billion. This represents not only a 61% quarter-on-quarter increase, but was also the third-highest quarterly value on record. The largest of these deals was the US$18.8 billion carve-out of industrial group Thyssenkrup’s elevators unit.

US outbound cross-border PE reaches third highest value on record
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Telecoms M&A rises quarter on quarter

Telecoms M&A totaled US$16.1 billion in the first quarter 2020, a small 1% rise on the previous quarter—the second quarter in a row which saw an increase in value. The largest transaction of the quarter was the US$3 billion sale of internet service provider Deutsche Glasfaser to Swedish PE firm EQT and Canadian pension fund OMERS.

Telecoms M&A rises quarter on quarter
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UK M&A reaches highest value of any quarter in over two years

M&A targeting UK companies reached US$62.6 billion in total in the first quarter of 2020, a 77% quarter-on-quarter rise and the highest total of any quarter since Q2 2018. This was mainly due to one deal, insurance group Aon’s US$35.6 billion takeover bid for Willis Towers Watson.

UK M&A reaches highest value of any quarter in over two years
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German M&A value reaches highest quarterly value in eleven quarters

The first quarter of 2020 saw total deal activity targeting German companies reach US$55.5 billion, the highest of any quarter since Q3 2013, which recorded deal value totaling US$63 billion. The largest of these deals was the US$18.8 billion carve-out of industrial group Thyssenkrupp’s elevators unit by a PE consortium led by Cinven and Advent.

German M&A value reaches highest quarterly value in eleven quarters
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US financial services dealmaking reaches highest annual total of past five years

Financial services M&A in the US totaled US$179.6 billion in 2019, the highest annual total since 2015 and a 118% year-on-year rise. The two largest deals of the year were the US$29 billion acquisition of TD Ameritrade by The Charles Schwab Corporation and the US$28.1 billion merger between SunTrust Banks and BB&T.

US financial services dealmaking reaches highest annual total of past five years
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UK outbound volume reaches highest annual total since 2006

UK outbound cross-border volume reached its highest annual total on Mergermarket record (since 2006) in 2019, with 681 deals. The US targets were the most popular, with 164 deals, or 24% of all deals. Total value of UK outbound cross-border transactions, on the other hand, fell by 8% on the previous year, to US$117.4 billion.

UK outbound volume reaches highest annual total since 2006
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Industrials & Chemicals tops sector chart in Q4 2019

Total M&A value in the industrials and chemicals was US$133.6 billion in the fourth quarter in 2019—the highest of any sector that quarter. This marks the first quarter since Q1 2017 that TMT was not the top sector by value. The largest transaction of the quarter was a domestic US deal which saw International Flavors & Fragrances acquire Dupont’s Nutrition & Biosciences unit for US$26.2 billion.

Industrials & Chemicals tops sector chart in Q4 2019
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Japanese M&A reaches highest annual total since 2011

Japanese M&A reached its highest yearly total since 2011 in 2019. Total dealmaking in the country was US$75.7 billion, a 60% rise on 2018. This is in spite of the fact that volume was nearly flat, with one fewer deal in 2019 than the 465 in 2018. The largest Japanese deal of 2019 was a domestic one, the US$9 billion acquisition of Hitachi Chemical by Showa Denko.

Japanese M&A reaches highest annual total since 2011
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Leisure sector sees highest level of cross-border activity since 2014

The global leisure sector saw cross-border dealmaking total US$53 billion over 2019, the highest annual value since 2014. This is in spite of the fact that deal volume fell to 255 deals in 2019, down from 278 deals the year before. The largest cross-border transaction of the sector was the US$10.4 billion sale of Canadian gaming technology firm Stars Group to Ireland’s Flutter Entertainment.

Leisure sector sees highest level of cross-border activity since 2014
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Western European PE volume in TMT sector hits highest annual total

Private equity activity in the technology, media and telecoms sector reached its highest annual total on Mergermarket record (since 2006) in Western Europe in 2019. There were 468 PE-related deals in the region over the course of the year, a 9% year-on-year rise. Exits, buyouts and secondary buyout volumes were all up on 2018.

Western European PE volume in TMT sector hits highest annual total
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Australia’s outbound cross-border dealmaking reaches decade high

Australia’s outbound cross-border M&A in 2019 totaled US$33.3 billion, the highest yearly total in over a decade, although volume dropped to 108 deals, the lowest annual total since 2014. Much of this activity was driven by financial sponsors, in transactions such as IFM Investor’s US$10.2 billion acquisition of US-based oil and gas firm Buckeye Partners—the year’s largest.

Australia’s outbound cross-border dealmaking reaches decade high
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