Global Mergers and Acquisitions in 2023
Global mergers and acquisitions can be complex and nuanced procedures that involve a variety of stakeholders, and can be prone to dangers. They can also transform companies and accelerate growth.
The global M&A industry reached a 10-year-low in 2023 as investors became more concerned about the ramifications of rising rates, geopolitical tensions, and other factors. (See Chart 1). However, some experts anticipate that activity to increase in 2024 when some of these headwinds ease.
This optimism is due to the fact that there will be a backlog of assets that can be sold in 2024. Many private equity (PE) portfolio companies have not sold in recent years because their valuations fell. This provides buyers with a chance to purchase assets for lower price.
The closing of the cycle of interest rate hikes and a resurgence in the stock market will increase the number of loans available for acquisitions. This will help reduce the cost of transactions and speed up the time to complete deals. M&A will also be used by more companies to mitigate geopolitical risks and expand into new industries, markets or revenue streams.
In the second quarter of 2023, several structured transactions were completed. These included sales of minority stakes as well earnouts — arrangements that will require the buyer to pay the full cost of the deal in the event that certain straight from the source operational or financial milestones are reached when the transaction is completed. This trend could continue as acquirers attempt to align incentives in a more difficult environment and make up the difference between their valuations.