Record breaker:
US M&A in 2015
With confidence soaring, deal value
in the United States hit new heights
PRINT-FRIENDLY VERSION
2016
Contents
Foreword
By the end of 2015, US M&A deal value reached US$1.98 trillion—surpassing the previous record set in the pre-crisis days of 2006
US M&A market on a high
Overall M&A value surged in 2015, driven by megadeals—some of the biggest the market has ever seen
Sector watch
Three sectors dominated US M&A in 2015: technology, industrials and pharmaceuticals, medical and biotechnology (PMB)
The US M&A market in figures
Infographic: Charting the latest trends
Private equity in focus
Buyout value surged to US$122.68 billion in H2 2015, up almost US$40 billion compared to H2 2014. Yet buyout volume dipped 15% over the same period
Has leverage reached its limits?
Leveraged lending guidelines have contributed to the relative decline in private equity M&A in the US
Conclusion
With 2015 behind us, dealmakers should be aware of the potential risks and trends that lie ahead
“During the crisis, everybody was looking at emerging markets, but now the US is looking like a good place to put money, as the underlying economy looks pretty stable.”
John Reiss, Global Head of M&A, White & Case