2013 M&A Report

Market Review and Outlook

REVIEW

After two consecutive years of growth, global M&A deal volume declined modestly in 2012, as total transactions dipped 4% to 28,829, from 30,116 transactions in 2011. Global M&A deal value, however, increased for the fourth year in a row, up 19% from $2.16 trillion in 2011 to $2.57 trillion in 2012.

Aggregate global deal value increased each quarter, with deal value in the fourth quarter reaching the highest level since the second quarter of 2007. After increasing from the first to the second quarter of the year, deal volume retreated in the third quarter, but increased again in the fourth quarter to finish the year on a positive note.

In contrast to the year-over-year decline in global deal volume, M&A activity in the United States increased 6%, from 9,831 transactions in 2011 to 10,419 in 2012. US deal value increased even more, jumping 22% from $1.09 trillion in 2011 to $1.33 trillion in 2012.