Q1 Worldwide M&A League Table

Worldwide M&A up 25%, strongest first quarter for deal making since 2007

Powered by a steady pace of deals over $5 billion, the value of worldwide M&A totaled US$854.2 billion during the first quarter of 2015, a 25% increase from comparable 2014 levels and the strongest opening three-month period for worldwide deal making since 2007. Twenty-seven deals with a value greater than $5 billion were announced during the first quarter of 2015, a 59% increase compared to the first quarter of 2014.

Number of deals down 3%

Nearly 9,200 worldwide deals were announced during the first quarter of 2015, a 3% decrease compared to last year. First quarter 2015 M&A fell 7% by value and 21% by number of deals compared to the fourth quarter of 2014, which ranked as the strongest three-month period for new deal announcements since the fourth quarter of 2010.

US M&A hits 15-year high; best annual start for Asia Pacific M&A on record

M&A activity for United States targets totaled US$415.9 billion during the first quarter of 2015, an increase of 33% compared to the level of activity seen during the first quarter of 2014 and the strongest first quarter for US M&A since 2000. With US$205.5 billion in announced deals during fthe first quarter of 2015, Asia Pacific M&A registered the strongest first quarter for deal making in the region since records began in 1980.

Healthcare, real estate & telecom lead activity

Driven by pharmaceuticals M&A, deal making in the Healthcare sector totaled $US110.2 billion during the first quarter of 2015, more than double 2013 levels, while Real Estate and Telecommunications M&A increased 17% and 98%, respectively. With just over US$50.0 billion in announced deals during the first quarter of 2015, the Media and Entertainment sector saw the steepest year-overyear percentage declines, down 50% compared to the first quarter of 2014.

Cross border M&A up 10%

Cross Border M&A activity totaled US$267.0 billion during the first quarter of 2015, accounting for 31% of overall M&A volume and a 10% increase over first quarter 2014 levels. Cross border M&A accounted for 36% of total M&A activity during the first quarter of 2014.

Completed M&A advisory fees up 3%

According to estimates from Thomson Reuters/Freeman Consulting, M&A advisory fees from completed transactions totaled US$6.4 billion during the first quarter of 2015, a 3% increase from the comparable period in 2014.

Thomson Reuters/HITC