Mergers and acquisitions worldwide - statistics & facts

How was M&A activity affected by the pandemic?

M&A deal values suffered in 2020, which is likely due to the uncertainty and global economic contraction caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The only region where the value of the M&A deals increased in 2020 was the Asia-Pacific region. Post-pandemic M&A growth is expected in sectors such as the energy and mining sector, as well as the pharma sector. However, this is dependent on the longevity of the pandemic, which is difficult to predict.

What drives M&A activity?

Several factors play a role in executives deciding to merge their company with another, or sell their company to another entity. For instance, the main driver for Chinese CEOs was to reduce costs when surveyed in 2019. Meanwhile, European executives from corporates and equity firms believed that undervalued targets will drive buy-side M&A activity in 2022. The same executives expected that distress-driven M&A will drive the sell-side in 2022.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.