Private equity buyout in Asia-Pacific region touches $14 billion in first half this year

NEW DELHI: Private equity buyouts in Asia-Pacific region, including India, touched $ 7.6 billion in the April-June period this year, taking the deal value during the first half of 2013 to $ 13.9 billion.

According to global deal tracking firm mergermarket, in Q2 (April-June) period, the Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) region witnessed deals worth $ 7.6 billion, up 21.6 per cent from the corresponding period a year ago when deals worth $ 6.3 billion took place.

On a quarter on quarter basis also the deal value rose by 22 per cent, from $ 6.3 billion in January- March, 2013.

The steady values in both the first quarter and second quarter resulted in the first half of 2013 deal value touching $ 13.9 billion (through 95 deals), up 21.6 per cent compared to the same period of previous year when deals worth $ 11.4 billion took place through 110 deals.

The $ 4.5 billion bid to acquire Australia-based Port Botany was the biggest buyout deal of the first half of 2013 making the transport sectors the most active sector by value.

On exits, Mergermarket said, the aggregate value of private equity exits in Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) rose by 34 per cent from H1 2012 figure of $ 8.8 billion through 42 deals to $ 11.8 billion (57 deals) so far this year.

Exits in the consumer sector rose by a whopping 817.1 per cent in the first half of 2013 to $ 2.5 billion (through seven deals) from $ 275 million in H1 2012, it said.