Mergermarket

Amid a rebound in M&A activity targeting oil and gas pipeline and storage operators, cash-rich corporates are expected to continue filling in the void left by private equity firms, according to market participants. In the YTD, strategics have announced midstream acquisitions worth USD 34.9bn in North America, while sponsors have disclosed deals worth USD 12.8bn. US oil production has soared to record levels under President Joe Biden, reaching an all-time-high of 13.4 million barrels per day in August, thanks to growing demand and the use of hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) and horizontal drilling techniques. It led to a big increase in M&A among upstream players – those that explore and extract oil and gas from the ground – which included mega deals from Chevron for Hess last October and Diamondback Energy’s agreement to buy Endeavor Energy Resources in February. More here: https://lnkd.in/ehN5jGyu

?? What a night to remember! Last night, we celebrated excellence in M&A at the Mergermarket European M&A Awards, hosted at the iconic Natural History Museum in London. ?? This year’s awards were our biggest yet, with 48 prestigious prizes presented to honour exceptional work on some of the most intricate transactions across Europe. ?? A huge congratulations to all the winners ABG Sundal Collier, Ardian, Arthur Cox LLP, B?r & Karrer, Bank of America, BGF, Blackstone, BNP Paribas, Carnegie Investment Bank, Citi, CMS, Deloitte, Ellex Legal, Eurazeo, EY, Freshfields, Garrigues, Gianni & Origoni, Goldfarb Gross Seligman, Goldman Sachs, Gorrissen Federspiel, J.P. Morgan, Kirkland & Ellis, Krogerus, Latham & Watkins, Linklaters, Mediobanca, Morgan Stanley, ?zmenYal??n, Permira, Rothschild & Co, Schoenherr Attorneys at Law, Superia, UBS, üNLü & Co, Vinge, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Wiersholm! See who triumphed in each category here ?? https://lnkd.in/eXafzBYw

OrthoLite, an Amherst, Massachusetts-based manufacturer of foam insoles and footwear components, is expected to explore a sale next year, according to three sources familiar with the matter: https://lnkd.in/eXyCmGmS

Ebury, a British payments group backed by Banco Santander SA and Vitruvian Partners, is seeking additional banks to pitch for roles to support the firm’s IPO, scheduled for 1H25 at the earliest, four sources familiar with the situation said: https://lnkd.in/eyZyJPqn

?? Private equity investment opportunities are “quite unique” in Asia with valuations looking very attractive in some cases, but pricing risk correctly will be essential to finding success in the region, according to Harvey Schwartz, CEO of The Carlyle Group. ? Discover more from Harvey's conversation with Samson Wong, Chief Investment Officer (Private Markets)?of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), recorded at the AVCJ Private Equity Forum 2024 in Hong Kong: https://lnkd.in/edKGFMww #AVCJForum #privateequity #privatecapital #alternativeinvestments

In the second half of 2020, as COVID-19 lockdowns eased, pent-up demand for M&A and a flood of cheap debt fueled a surge of private equity buyouts. The quantum of capital put to work surpassed even the deal rush preceding the 2008 global financial crisis. ? In 2021, North America buyout volume reached a record USD 521bn, a 116% year-on-year rise. The tide turned in 2022, as interest rates began their upward climb. Many companies acquired via LBOs during the 2019-2022 cycle – and others not involved in M&A yet still carrying significant debt – were quickly beleaguered by over-levered balance sheets and mounting financing costs. ? Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. Capital Management believes these market conditions have provided fertile terrain for its special situations strategy. Check out our latest GP Profile with insights from Matthew Wilson and Jordon Kruse: https://lnkd.in/dR6GfHCy

European tech M&A transactions are keeping up a steady pace as some entrepreneurs choose to exit the businesses they founded, rather than struggle for capital in a tough fundraising market. As a result of this general trend, European tech M&A volumes year-to-date (YTD) are already ahead of the full-year (FY) figures for last year. Volumes in the YTD are EUR 107bn vs EUR 89bn for FY23, according to Mergermarket data: https://lnkd.in/efQjkTm2

Dealmakers are signalling that divestitures will play a pivotal role in corporate strategy and M&A activity in the US market. Our latest report, published in association with Baker Tilly, uncovers the trends and challenges driving divestitures and M&A in the US. ?? Nearly half of respondents (48%) are considering divestitures or carve-outs, with many having already completed one in the past 12-24 months. This highlights a growing recognition of divestitures as more than just shedding non-core assets—they are a strategic tool to streamline operations and boost financial performance. ?? Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/emzry2M7

Global dealmakers have been remarkably optimistic since the US presidential election result. They seem to believe the hastened fracturing of the neoliberal order heralded by a “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) administration will, in turn, accelerate multinationals’ plans to maintain market access across trading blocs by undertaking defensive M&A, often in search of “Made in America” tags. More here: https://lnkd.in/ewQrFX3Z

?? The technology sector saw a strong resurgence in M&A activity during the first nine months of 2024. Deal volumes held steady at 6,500, while aggregate deal value soared 39% to $482 billion. Investor sentiment is warming, 54% of respondents anticipate increased deal volumes over the next 12 months, up from 48% in our previous survey. Get the full picture in our latest report, published in association with Morrison Foerster. Featuring insights from 300 global tech dealmakers, it dives into the key factors shaping tech M&A strategies for the near and medium term. ?? Download here: https://lnkd.in/dfhbPNY8