Financial Services

M&A in a changing world: Opportunities amidst disruption

October 11, 2017

Global

October 11, 2017

Global
Melanie Noronha

Principal, Policy & insights

Melanie is a principal at Economist Impact. She has over ten years of experience delivering consulting and thought leadership projects to public, private and not-for-profit organisations. Based in Dubai, she leads the Middle East and Africa team on research across a range of sectors including food sustainability, recycling, renewable energy, fintech, trade and supply chains. She is a specialist in advanced recycling technologies and international trade. She is a seasoned moderator, having chaired numerous panel discussions and presented Economist Impact's research at global in-person and virtual conferences.

Before joining The Economist Group, she was a senior analyst at MEED Insight, a research and consulting firm serving Middle East and North Africa. At MEED, she developed expertise in bespoke market studies and financial modelling across a range of sectors spanning construction, finance, power and water, oil and gas, and renewable energy. She held previous posts at the Office of the Chief Economist at the Dubai International Financial Centre and at the San Francisco Center for Economic Development. Melanie has an MSc in International Strategy and Economics from the University of St Andrews and a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

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Corporate and shareholder sentiment towards MA has rebounded since the dark days of 2008. Low borrowing costs have coaxed many new buyers, including acquisitive Chinese conglomerates, into the market. The prices of prized assets have risen accordingly. It remains a sellers market in technology-driven deals, particularly in the consumer-goods, financial services, and media and telecommunications sectors.

 

Confidence Restored

The annual value of deals in Asia-Pacific has increased significantly since 2008, driven by the appetite for acquisition demonstrated by Chinese firms. But the first half of 2017 saw a sharp downturn in outbound Chinese deal flows as capital controls tightened and regulators—in international markets and at home—scrutinised deals more closely, signalling tougher times ahead. M&A activity in Western Europe lagged in the years after the 2008 financial crisis on account of a protracted economic slowdown. But deal levels look positive in the first half of 2017 when all announced deals are included. There are also a number of sector-specific trends shaping M&A activity. In consumer goods and services, Amazon’s US$13.7bn offer for Whole Foods signals another phase in the global scramble to respond to changing shopping habits and distribution channels. The wide market reach of financial technology (fintech) has caught the attention of established financial services companies that are seeking to adapt their business models. In media and telecommunications, deals to marry content with distribution are emerging.

While technology titans such as Amazon and Google have the cash to spend, not all deals make sense and not all are certain to reach completion. Low interest rates and corporations flush with cash have been fuelling higher valuations, but shareholders are paying close attention to deal fundamentals—securing growth opportunities and cost efficiencies through synergies. Overall, experts interviewed for this research are optimistic. With the European economy finally back on track, all regions could experience a busy 12 months as buyers seek growth through acquisition, technological prowess and brands that fit their long-term strategies. In the chapters that follow, we will first explore broad trends influencing the levels and types of M&A activity across sectors and regions, followed by sectoral deep dives into consumer goods and services, financial services and media and telecoms.

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