Sky Blog
M&A activity in the U.S. and globally in June was mixed. While the number of deals decreased by 23.7% in the U.S., to 655 deals, and by 13.2% globally, to 2,487 deals, the total value of deals[1] increased significantly, …
M&A activity in the U.S. and globally for the month of May was generally consistent with April levels. The most notable changes in May were an increase in the number of sponsor-related deals by almost 75% to 187 in the …
M&A activity in the U.S. and globally generally fell in the month of April. The number of U.S. deals decreased by 15.6%, to 622, and the number of global deals decreased by 10.3%, to 2,530. However, the total value of …
Let me begin by thanking the staff in the Division of Corporation Finance, including Division Director Bill Hinman, for their hard work in developing the May 3 release and for helpful briefings throughout this process.
The May 3 proposal governs …
In a recent paper, we explore EU law covering EU cross-border mergers. These are typically more difficult and costlier than purely national mergers. Additionally, political hurdles can exist. In a time of global political and institutional transformations away from …
Lawyers and investors pay close attention to how stock-based deals affect the acquirer’s short-term earnings per share (EPS). Merger announcements are regularly accompanied by discussions of whether the deal will be accretive or dilutive for the acquirer’s EPS, and if …
As mutual funds have become popular with individual investors, the institutions that manage these funds have grown dramatically. Along with the benefit of offering individual investors inexpensive portfolio diversification and engagement in corporate governance, there is mounting concern that the …
As a whole, 2018 proved to be another strong year for M&A. Total deal volume reached almost $4.2 trillion globally, higher than the $3.7 trillion volume of 2017, but still less than the record of over $5 trillion set in …
M&A activity in December 2018 declined across most measures. While M&A activity reached 12-month lows both globally and in the U.S., the declines in the U.S. were significantly more pronounced. Deal volume by dollar value[1] decreased, by 55.2% to …
With the exception of sponsor-related transactions, M&A activity in November 2018 generally declined. Deal volume by dollar value[1] decreased, by 9.1% to $141.10 billion in the U.S., and by 21.4% to $254.76 billion globally. The number of deals also …
In the last decade, private equity sponsors increasingly have pursued “strategic” deals — transactions combining two or more competitors. The U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have actively enforced the antitrust merger laws …
M&A activity in October 2018 remained mixed, but included more positive indicators compared to September and the general declining trend line so far this year. Deal volume by dollar value[1] significantly increased overall, by 98.2% to $154.56 billion in …
Takeover regimes in Europe have been under persistent scrutiny by the public, politicians, and market participants. Sometimes, that is just the nature of the game: Takeovers create winners and losers, and the latter (with the help of their champions and …
M&A activity in September 2018 was mixed compared to August levels, but generally reflected an overall continuing downward trend starting in April of this year. Deal volume by dollar value0F[1] decreased in the U.S. by 44.5% to $77.06 billion …
M&A activity in August, like July, continued the recent downward trend in number of deals across most sectors while showing more mixed results as measured by total dollar value.[1] The number of deals decreased in the U.S. by 39.4% …
The continued explosion in the number of securities class action filings is once again the big headline in our half yearly update. The now-sustained increase in both the number of filings and average and median settlement amounts—including a five-fold increase …
There has recently been a pick-up in bank merger and acquisition activity that likely reflects both the increased importance of scale in the banking industry, particularly in the technology area, and regulatory and legislative developments that reduce certain obstacles to …
During a speech delivered on July 25, 2018 at the American Conference Institute 9th Global Forum on Anti-Corruption Compliance in High Risk Markets, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Matthew Miner, who oversees the U.S. Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) Fraud Section …
M&A activity in June 2018 weakened from last month across most measures, although still generally strong for the first half of the year. The total number of deals decreased in the U.S. by 28.6% to 528 (the lowest level since …
A fundamental question in corporate finance is how mergers and acquisitions create value. Possibilities include generating economies of scale or scope, increasing managerial efficiency, improving production techniques, or strengthening market power. Synergies are a leading motive for doing mergers, but …