Mazars Americas - Current Status of Mergers and Acquisitions in Colombia

Mazars Americas

Economic outlook

Currently Colombia is facing different challenges such us high rates of CPI index (13.2% y-o-y) and financial interest (12.75% y-o-y). Despite Colombian inflation is one of the highest in LATAM, Colombian central bank expects that in second half of 2023, inflation will be smoothed and controlled until get CPI index of 8.0% as of Dec 31, 2023.

 

Additionally, Colombian president Gustavo Petro is about to present and start discussing with the Congress about renewal energy transition, social security (healthcare), labor and pension reforms which are focused on change the current social and economic frameworks. However, as these reforms are not defined yet, there is an environment of less attracting investment.

M&A activity in Mazars - Colombia (main closed deals)

  1. Mazars in Colombia was the advisory firm of the seller (ad_bid) in this transaction, this demonstrates the methodology and quality of our Financial Advisory line and their experts. Globant, a leading company in digital transformation in the world, acquired ad_bid, a specialized marketing agency (Total transaction value: USD18m).

 

  1. VISEO announces the acquisition of Xertica’ s Salesforce service line for Colombia and Mexico as an expansion strategy in the digital transformation sector. The Mazars Financial Advisory lines in Colombia together with Mazars in Mexico advised the Financial, Tax and Labor Due Diligence service on the transaction process.

 

  1. Mazars in Colombia supported the company valuation of Chilean Actual Group with he aim of estimating and valuating, based on IAS 36, potential assets impairment as of Dec 31, 2022.

Relevant news

  1. The low-cost airline Viva Air suspended its operations in Colombia with "immediate effect" due to the critical financial situation it is going through. The Superintendence of Transportation, the authority in charge of monitoring the sector, required Viva Air to guarantee the rights of users by maintaining communication channels and immediately seeking solutions "that the transport contract demands". Despite Avianca airlines is interested in acquiring Viva Air, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aeronautic entity concerned about his acquisition and are preparing a decision on the definitive agreement between the two airlines, because apparently, they did not commit some necessary processes in the integration procedures.

 

  1. Despite of maximum financial interest rate regulated by Colombian Central Bank is over 40%, most of the main Colombian Banks decided to reduce their interest rates for credit cards under 25% to incentivize the consumption and stimulate the Colombian economy.

Industry activity

As of February 2023, M&A Colombian activity ranked fourth by deal volume, with 23 deals, down 50% compared with February 2022. However, by aggregate consideration, Argentina takes fourth place with USD 179m, based on 9 deals with disclosed value, representing a decrease of 73%. (Transaction Track Record).

 

 

 

 

 

Home currency impacts to global pressures (as applicable)

After Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) regulators shut down Silicon Valley Bank on Friday (March 10th, 2023), in the largest U.S. bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis, on Monday (March 13, 2023) Colombian exchange rate was impacted and exposed to a high depreciation.

 

Additionally, in the first week of March 2023, Colombian currency had a bearish trend, as a result of the statements done by Jerome Powell, head of the Federal Reserve, who pointed a possible interest rate increase. However, the failure of SVB can make the Fed change its current position. Marija Veitmane, senior multi-asset strategist at State Street Global Markets, explained that: “This is a difficult position that the Fed finds itself in, on the one hand, it needs to keep raising to stop inflation, but it also needs to protect the financial system. It feels like a lose-lose situation, the Fed and the market.”

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