Mergers & acquisitions
Tailored M&A advice to create and maximise shareholder value
The overall picture is one of strong growth and resilience in the market, which was reflected by the highest level of M&A deal value seen for five years in the CEE region in 2021.
Deal volume and value both increased in 2021. The number of M&A deals in the CEE region rose to 889 in 2021, up 32% on the previous year. Total deal value was also higher, with transactions totalling €67.5bn. This represents an increase of 41% compared with 2020, and it is the highest total transaction value since 2016.
Key findings:
As the study shows, the region boasts a diversified economy, from strong IT capabilities to a growing class of middle-income consumers and large levels of natural resources. And while wages are growing in the region, they remain lower than in Western countries — providing an attractive area of investment and expansion as businesses seek to reshape their supply chains in the wake of the upheaval caused by the pandemic. Factors shaping the dealmaking landscape in 2022 are likely to include high and volatile energy prices (wholesale gas in particular), inflation, higher borrowing costs (central banks outside the Eurozone are already hiking rates), a tight labour market, tensions with Russia, and the rise of new Covid-19 variants. Against this background, GDP growth is expected to ease after the bounce back seen in 2021, with growth for the Eastern Europe region in 2022 expected to be 3.8% compared with the 4.9% seen in 2021, according to the IMF.
The war in Ukraine is presenting a considerable humanitarian crisis in the region, especially in neighbouring countries which have opened their doors to refugees. Although the conflict is set to slow growth both in the region and globally, M&A in most of CEE is unlikely to be directly affected. Volatility in the energy, stock and debt markets, however, is certain to pose a challenge for dealmakers across the region and beyond, as is inflation caused by further supply chain disruptions.
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