Global M&A Activity Predicted to Increase in Q1 2018

New York, NY, November 16, 2017 — The Intralinks Deal Flow Predictor, a predictor of future mergers and acquisitions (M&A) announcements, with a proven track record for accuracy, forecasts that the number of worldwide announced M&A deals in Q1 2018 will increase by around 2 percent compared to Q1 2017. The dealmaking environment is being supported by a combination of a gradual pickup in global economic growth, subdued inflation in advanced and emerging economies, buoyant asset markets and historically low interest rates.

There are risks, however. “The risks to the scenario of steadily increasing M&A activity are twofold: political and financial,” said Philip Whitchelo, VP of Strategy & Product Marketing at Intralinks. “Increases in economic nationalism, protectionism and restrictions on global trade and cross-border economic integration all have the potential to negatively affect dealmaking sentiment. With global equity markets at record highs, and almost nine years since the last major trough, a correction that turns into a more serious sell-off could also prove negative for dealmaking confidence,” he added.

In Q1 2018, Intralinks is forecasting year-over-year (YOY) growth in the number of announced M&A deals in three out of the four global regions: Asia Pacific (APAC), predicted to be up around 14 percent; Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), predicted to be up around 6 percent; and Latin America (LATAM), predicted to be up around 3 percent. North America (NA) is predicted to be down around 11 percent, due to an exceptionally strong Q1 2017 comparison period.

The Intralinks Deal Flow Predictor’s regional predictions for M&A activity over the next six months include:

• In APAC, all regions are showing increasing volumes of early-stage M&A activity, with Southeast Asia, India and North Asia (China, Hong Kong and South Korea) making the strongest contributions to APAC’s growth. Japan recorded its first quarter of increasing early-stage M&A activity since Q4 2016, with the number of early-stage deals rising by 6 percent YOY. Despite the political instability on the Korean peninsula and in Myanmar, for most of the APAC region, strengthening global economic demand and supportive fiscal and monetary policy actions are driving vigorous economic growth and increasing dealmaking confidence. The Real Estate, Materials and Consumer & Retail sectors are predicted to lead the growth in APAC M&A announcements over the next six months.
• In EMEA, two of the region’s largest M&A markets, the UK and Germany, are noticeably failing to contribute towards EMEA’s growth. M&A activity in Germany has declined in 2017, with the number of announced deals in the first nine months falling by 8 percent YOY. German early-stage M&A activity also declined in Q3 2017, dropping by 10 percent YOY. In the UK, early-stage M&A activity in Q3 2017 fell by 5 percent YOY. The rest of the region looks solid, with Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Northern Europe, Spain and Italy all showing double-digit increases in early-stage M&A activity. The Materials, Real Estate and Healthcare sectors are predicted to lead the growth in EMEA M&A announcements over the next six months.
• In LATAM, early-stage M&A activity has increased YOY for the fourth consecutive quarter, confirming the region’s return to growth. The region’s economic activity has rebounded in 2017 and is forecast to increase steadily over the next two years, driven by increasing consumption in Brazil and Colombia, economic and monetary reforms in Argentina and energy-sector liberalization in Mexico. The Healthcare, Technology, Media & Telecoms (TMT) and Financials sectors are predicted to lead the growth in LATAM M&A announcements over the next six months.
• In NA, supportive financial conditions, a booming US equity market and strong business and consumer confidence are all contributing to the current buoyant NA M&A market. Despite the significant increase in the number of announced M&A deals in NA in 2017, early-stage deal activity in NA in Q3 2017 fell by 7 percent YOY. This could point to concerns among US dealmakers over changes to the 23-year-old free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico that the Trump administration is pursuing, as well as the increasing cost of money as the US Federal Reserve pursues a policy of interest rate rises. The Healthcare and Energy & Power sectors are predicted to lead the growth in NA M&A announcements over the next six months.

The Intralinks Deal Flow Predictor forecasts the number of future M&A deal announcements by tracking early-stage M&A activity – sell side M&A transactions across the world that are in preparation or have begun their due diligence stage. These early-stage deals are, on average, six months away from their public announcement. The Intralinks Deal Flow Predictor has been independently verified as an accurate predictor of future changes in the worldwide number of announced M&A transactions, as reported by Thomson Reuters.

To find out more, download the Intralinks Deal Flow Predictor report here.  

About the Intralinks Deal Flow Predictor

The Intralinks Deal Flow Predictor provides Intralinks' perspective on the level of M&A due diligence activity taking place during any given period. The statistics contained in the Intralinks Deal Flow Predictor represent the volume of virtual data rooms (VDRs) opened, or proposed to be opened, through Intralinks or other providers for conducting due diligence on proposed transactions including asset sales, divestitures, equity private placements, financings, capital raises, joint ventures, alliances and partnerships. These statistics are not adjusted for changes in Intralinks' share of the VDR market or changes in market demand for VDR services. These statistics may not correlate to the volume of completed transactions that may be reported by market data providers and should not be construed to represent the volume of transactions that will ultimately be consummated during any period nor of the revenue or M&A deal volume that Intralinks may generate for any financial period. Indications of future completed deal activity derived from the Intralinks Deal Flow Predictor are based on assumed rates of deals going from due diligence stage to completion. In addition, the statistics reported by market data providers may be compiled with a different set of transaction types than those set forth above.

THIS PRESS RELEASE AND THE INTRALINKS DEAL FLOW PREDICTOR (COLLECTIVELY THE "MATERIALS") ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. INTRALINKS MAKES NO GUARANTEE, REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND REGARDING THE TIMELINESS, ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENT OF THE MATERIALS. THESE MATERIALS ARE BASED ON INTRALINKS' OBSERVATIONS AND SUBJECTIVE INTERPRETATIONS OF DUE DILIGENCE ACTIVITY TAKING PLACE, OR PROPOSED TO TAKE PLACE, ON INTRALINKS' OR OTHER PROVIDERS' VDR PLATFORMS FOR A LIMITED SET OF TRANSACTION TYPES. THESE MATERIALS ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE AN INDICATOR OF INTRALINKS' BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OR OPERATING RESULTS FOR ANY PRIOR, CURRENT OR FUTURE PERIOD, NOR ARE THESE MATERIALS INTENDED TO PROMISE, GUARANTEE OR ASSURE FUTURE LEVELS OF COMPLETED DEAL ACTIVITY. THESE MATERIALS ARE NOT INTENDED TO CONVEY INVESTMENT ADVICE OR SOLICIT INVESTMENTS OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER.

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About Intralinks

Intralinks is a leading financial technology provider for the global banking, deal making and capital markets communities.  As pioneers of the virtual data room, Intralinks enables and secures the flow of information facilitating strategic initiatives such as mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and investor reporting. In its 20-year history Intralinks has earned the trust and business of more than 99 percent of the Global Fortune 1000 and has executed over $34.7 trillion worth of financial transactions on its platform. For more information, visit www.intralinks.com.

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