Clifford Chance

Our Insights into Global M&A Trends 2016

1 February 2016

Our latest Global M&A Trends Report highlights current M&A trends and gives our insights on the key drivers and challenges for M&A activity for 2016.

Looking back on a record-breaking year for M&A in 2015, which was highlighted by a number of mega-deals (including AB InBev/SABMiller), our M&A partners draw on their experiences and knowledge to share insights for the year ahead. The report shows that the M&A market is being driven by North American buyers who have access to favourable financing conditions and excess cash and who are, in some cases, structuring their acquisitions as corporate inversions or using other tax- driven deal structures.

In terms of sectors, TMT, Consumer/Retail and Healthcare lead the way. This is expected to continue in 2016 with increased M&A for telecoms infrastructure in the US and Asia, robust M&A activity in the Consumer sector, and increased Chinese outbound investment in the Healthcare sector. Financial services M&A is being stimulated in part by disruptive technologies, as well as the continued divestment of non-core assets.

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