Global merger and acquisition deal volume hits $ 2.3 trillion in 2013

NEW DELHI: Global merger and acquisition (M&A) deal volume reached $ 2.3 trillion so far this year, registering an increase of 9 per cent from last year levels, Dealogic said in a report today.

According to the global deal tracking firm, global M&A volume has reached $ 2.30 trillion in 2013 year-to-date, up 9 per cent from the $ 2.10 trillion in the corresponding period last year.

The M&A deal volume of $ 2.3 billion so far this year was the highest year-to-date total since 2008, when deals worth $ 2.77 trillion were announced.

"The M&A deal volume this year was mainly driven by Verizon Communications' $ 130.0 billion bid for a 45 per cent stake of Verizon Wireless announced on September 1," Dealogic said.

The deal also marks as the second largest M&A deal on record, behind Vodafone AirTouch's $ 172 billion transaction for Mannesmann in 1999, it added.

In sharp contrast, deal activity has dropped to 29,813 transactions in 2013 year-to-date, down 16 per cent over the corresponding period of last year when 35,577 transactions were announced.

A sector-wise analysis shows that the Telecom sector, with deals totalling $ 329.9 billion, was at the top in the list for global M&A so far this year, followed closely by real estate and healthcare with $ 284.5 billion and $ 240.1 billion, respectively.

In terms of global M&A advisor ranking, Goldman Sachs topped the chart with $ 626.5 billion, followed by JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley with $ 603.7 billion and $ 515.8 billion, respectively, Dealogic said.