There is a short article in today’s Financial Times reporting that the forecast for mergers and acquisitions activity in Ireland in 2013 looks strong. It is tied to a report from the law firm William Fry. High M&A activity is statistically a strongly pro-cyclical variate (but I believe normally more of a lagging indicator rather than a leading indicator).
8 replies on “Ireland ripe for M&A surge, says report”
Congratulations to the multi-million dollar salaried Allen Loney of GreatWest life in achieving the greatest deal of all times. The price paid ,will within a few years represent one years profit of Irish life.
The mountie always gets his man. Hats off to all concerned
The Ace Noonan was no match for the masters of the universe. Great West Life shares shot up when news of this outstanding deal was announced.
And if by M&A you mean fire-sales of newly formed monopolies, then, yes.
Big capitalists plundering poor people’s savings. Again. All presented as a good thing by rotten media. The rare gold coin or gold ring saved by our parents have been exchanged for worthless europaper and are now being melted into ingots by thse who control our politicians.
Gregory,
I wish that I didn’t have to pee on this parade. I’m underwhelmed.
A leasing unit of a bankrupt British bank is sold to a Japanese bank; one US bank sells a hedge fund administration business to the other (Goldman Sachs/ State Street); Experian a British company with its hq in Ireland buys or sells something. HSBC, a British bank agrees to sell a Dublin unit to a co in Bermuda;
Cooper Industries and Covidien, which are Irish only because they have hqs in Ireland…are doing whatever overseas.
At least Smurfit Kappa is half Irish.
Basically, most of these deals have a marginal impact on the Irish economy but who cares if pr is important?
@MH
Better than if they are closed down. Also the leading edge of activity…so let’s wait and see.
The many employees involved, and their families, care. Staying employed or not emigrating, the economy benefits.
Too negative…..There are positives, beginning internationally. Just not enough (yet) to get things really moving anytime soon. That said, there is a huge surge in prep activity and activity in M&A. Yes, PE as the banks continue to contract.
after glancing at this report-will read it in more detail today-i find myself probably like a lot of “Irish” reflecting ..on what Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson said!
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1tayx_abba-the-winner-takes-it-all_music#.US4MW-uNNUO
The surprise is that outward bound m & a exceeded inbound,a first.Third year of increased activity,US buyers overtaking EU buyers for first time in 10 years.
Positive report,whats not to like about it….expect Cantor Fitzgerald to be at a few closing tables this year.
on financial services …
“The landscape will probably see a gradual recovery, as financial services businesses continue to jockey for position, while changing priorities and regulation push assets to market.”
The transaction tax may have some implications here,assume ireland has opted out then…awfully quiet about this-managed to get something regrading Sweden in again…
“He noted that the United States repealed a similar levy in the early 1960s to encourage companies to raise capital for investment, and Sweden in the 1980s abandoned a tax on stock trades after trading activity migrated elsewhere.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/a-new-european-tax-on-financial-transactions-is-set-to-go-global/2013/02/26/7c2e7444-8038-11e2-b99e-6baf4ebe42df_story.html
@ Paul W
It just gets a bit confusing when a British company buys a Brazilian company and it’s an Irish m&A deal.
HSBC Bank forecasts a jump in Irish exports to China but it too is confused!