M&A deal volume highest in 2017 since 2010: EY report

Indian M&A (mergers and acquisitions) activity expanded exponentially in 2017 with 1,022 deals being signed -- up from 895 deals in 2016, a report said on Thursday.

According to EY's latest Transactions Annual report, primary deal drivers for the year were aimed at market expansion and entry into new markets, digital disruption and sector convergence.

The report pointed out that while the deal volume reached a record high since 2010, the deal value was lower by 12 per cent at $46.8 billion compared to $53.2 billion in 2016.

"India recorded a healthy M&A activity in calendar year 2017. While there was an increase in the number of deals, they were concentrated in the lower bands," said Amit Khandelwal, Partner and National Leader, Transaction Advisory Services, EY.

"The big-ticket deals were fewer in number in 2017 when compared with 2016 as corporates held back from venturing into big-ticket acquisitions. In addition, the timeline of some of the big-ticket deals got stretched due to increased scrutiny by the regulators and complex deal structures."

--IANS

rv/sac