All Time Low In M&A

Domestic and cross border transactions involving UK companies hit an all time low in Q4 2013 with only 99 M&As the lowest since Q1 1987 when the lists were first collected. There were 62 domestic acquisitions which involved a change of majority ownership between UK companies.

During 2013 there were 450 domestic and cross border transactions involving UK companies a notable decrease on the 965 of 2011. There were 240 domestic acquisitions for 2013 to the value of £7.7bn from £3.4bn in 2012.

Foreign companies acquired 28 UK companies in Q4 2013 a decrease of 27 compared with the 55 of the previous year. The total value of inward acquisitions was £31.1bn in 2013 from £17.4bn in 2012, similar to the levels of 2009 and 2011.

There were 4 outward acquisitions abroad by UK companies in Q4 2013 down from 7 in Q3. The total number of outward acquisitions made in 2013 was 50, down from 122 in 2012.

Slight Increase In M&A Transactions

There were, in total, 116 domestic and cross-border transactions involving UK companies during the third quarter of 2013 according to the ONS statistical release on mergers and acquisitions. The number remains level when compared with the second quarter and there is a slight increase when compared with the 112 of same period last year.

There were 60 domestic acquisitions involving a change in majority share ownership between UK domestic companies. While the number remained similar to Q2 2013 (64) the value fell from £2.1bn in Q2 to £0.8bn in Q3.

There were 46 acquisitions of foreign companies by UK companies involving a change of majority share ownership, an increase of 39% compared with the previous quarter. The value of inward acquisitions fell considerable from £23.7bn in Q2 to £2.1bn in Q3. One significant transaction was however responsible for the spike in Q2 2013.

There were also 7 inward disposals and 3 outward disposals.

UK Companies Are Maintaining Profitability

The profitability of UK non-financial corporations in Q2 2013 as measured by net rate of return (NNR) was estimated by 11.4% according to the ONS. It compares well with the last 18 months but is lower than 2011. The revised estimate for Q1 was 11.3%.

The manufacturing sector reported net rate of return of 7.2% in Q2 2013 one of the lowest levels since 2003. Services NRR was estimated to have been 15.1% in Q2 equal to Q1 but higher than the last two and a half years. UK continental shelf companies (oil & gas) NRR, which are not directly comparable with other industrial sectors and can be very volatile, grew by 37.4%. Non-UKCS companies grew by 10.7%.

Putting it into context, real GDP grew by 0.7% in Q2 2013 and the NRR of UK companies was 11.4%, an increase of 0.1%. The operating profits of UK non-financial corporations increased by 1.2% (according to Quarterly National Accounts) suggesting that profits are increasing at a faster rate than capital employed.

UK Companies Not Investing Abroad

The number of UK companies valued at over £1m involved in acquisitions and disposals fell from 154 transactions in Q1 2012 to 60 in Q1 2013, a decrease of 94 or 61%. Domestic UK M & As were valued at £1bn in Q1. The value increased by £0.3bn but the number of transactions fell from 61 to 24.

Foreign companies acquisitions in the UK increased by £1.2bn from £2bn to £3.2bn in Q1 2013. The number of transactions fell by 21 from 35 to 14.

Figures for UK companies investing abroad show outward M&A activity at its lowest since records began in 1987. The IMF's latest financial stability report however shows global financial conditions are improving. Confidence in markets is improving and continued improvements are required to prevent the return of financial risks.

UK M & A Lowest For Some Time

The overall value of mergers and acquisitions involving UK companies decreased in the first quarter of 2012 compared with the last quarter and remains low. Overseas acquisitions by UK companies fell to their lowest quarterly level since this series of statistics began in 1987. The value of acquisitions in the UK by foreign companies also reached the lowest level (£3.9bn) since Q2 2010 when it was £2.8bn. Domestic acquisitions fell from £1.8bn to £1.1bn, the lowest since 2009. The net value of cross border transactions was -£5.3bn. What it means is that foreign companies invested more in UK companies in inward investment, than UK companies invested abroad in outward investment. The most significant transaction abroad by a UK company was the disposal by Old Mutual Plc of Skandia Insurance Company Ltd (Sweden) for £2.1bn. The most significant inward transaction was the acquisition of Northern Rock Plc by Vigin Group Holdings Ltd. Other significant transaction included the acquisition of Kalahari Minerals Plc by China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holdings Corporation. The most significant transaction by a UK company in the UK was the acquisition of Encore Oil Plc by Premier Oil Plc for a reported value of £0.3bn.

Global FDI Rises But Financial Turmoil Slows Growth

Inflows of global foreign direct investment (FDI) rose by 2% in the first half of 2011 compared with the second half of 2010 according to the latest Global Investment Trends Monitor released by UNCTAD. The increase maintains the 5% moderate recovery of 2010.

The effects of the financial crisis however are precipitating a slowing down of growth in FDI according to preliminary estimates of cross-border mergers and acquisitions and greenfield investment. The outlook is predicted to remain optimistic with FDI flows expected to be close to pre-crisis levels over the next twelve months. The emphasis on crisis management is making policy makers more cautious diverting attention away from the need for more private investment to generate growth and jobs.

In the first half of 2011 more than half of global FDI was directed towards developing and transition economies as transnational corporations are still directing their investment to emerging markets. Developed economies experienced a 4% decline in FDI in the first half of 2011.

UK Companies Spending Big Abroad

UK companies expenditure on acquisitions abroad in Q2 2011 reached its second highest since Q1 2008 spending total of £10.2bn even though it represents a fall of 51% from £20.7bn. The 6 month figure of over £30bn is also above any 6 monthly period in 2009 or 2010. The number of acquisitions fell from 58 to 41.

The number of inward acquisitions increased from 43 to 46 and to a value of £8.5bn in the second quarter. The value of domestic acquisitions rose from £1.3bn in Q1 to £2.2bn in Q2 2011. The number of acquisitions fell from 68 to 59.

The largest transaction abroad by a UK company was the acquisition of Pride International of the USA by Ensco Plc for about £4.6bn. The acquisition of Netto Foodstores by Wal-Mart Stores Inc for £778m was a significant transaction in the Uk by the US company. Boparan Holdings acquisition of Northern Foods for £343m and Carillion acquisition of EAGA Plc for £298m were other significant transactions in the UK by UK companies.

The data is often affected by one or two very large transactions which may skew the trends underlying the data.

Outward Investment Highest Since 2007

The ONS has released data regarding mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving UK companies with values of over £1m covering the first quarter of 2011. The value of acquisitions abroad by UK companies was the highest outward investment since the fourth quarter of 2007 increasing to £18.3bn from £3.8bn in the last quarter of 2010. The investments invloved 44 acquisitions in the first quarter compared to 66 in the last quarter.

The value of acquisitions in the UK by foreign companies fell from £7bn to £6.4bn over the quarter. Expenditure by UK companies on acquisitions of UK companies fell to £1.2bn from £6.3bn in the last quarter of last year.

High Point In UK Overseas Acquisition Expenditure

UK companies' expenditure on acquisitions abroad reached their highest point since the first quarter of 2009 in the second quarter of 2010 according to the latest statistical bulletin from the ONS. The figure of £1.4bn is still well below earlier levels. Acquisitions in the UK by foreign companies fell to the lowest level since the second quarter of 2009 from £14.8bn to £2.3bn. Acquisitions of UK companies by UK companies in the UK increased from £1.3bn in Q1 to £1.9bn in Q2 2010.

There were 22 overseas acquisitions with values of over £1m by UK companies. There were 7 disposals of overseas companies for a total of £2.3bn in Q2 2010. Acquisitions of UK companies with values over £1m by foreign companies totalled 30. There were 10 disposals of UK companies by foreign companies with a total value of £1.3bn. In the UK, there were 66 acquisitions of companies with values over £1m by UK companies. They included 47 acquisitions of independent companies and 19 transactions involving subsidiaries.

Lowest Spend On M&A Since 1987

British companies spent £0.2bn on 10 acquisitions abroad in the first quarter of 2010 according to the ONS, £1bn less than the last quarter of 2009. It is the lowest value since records began in 1987. Expenditure on UK companies by UK companies was £1bn, £1.4bn less than Q4 2009. There were a total of 52 acquisitions. Foreign companies spent £14.3bn on 41 acquisitions in the UK during the quarter.

The 10 overseas acquisitions by British companies are included as they have values over £1m. The ONS used to use a threshold of £0.1m until recently and therefore there will be a discontinuity in the statistics. The 4 disposals of companies abroad by UK companies totalled £2.3bn and included the disposal of Rio Tinto Plc of Alcan Packaging Businesses for -£1.2bn and Rio Tinto Plc of Alcan Packaging Food American Division for -£0.8bn. Xstrata Plc disposed of El Morro SCM for -£3bn. The largest transaction in the UK by foreign companies was the acquisition of Cadbury Plc by Kraft Foods Inc of the US. One significant transaction in the UK by a British company was the acquisition of Standard Life Bank Plc by Barclays Plc for £0.2bn.

Low Levels Of Interest In M & A

Foreign companies increased their interest in the UK from £4bn in Q3 2009 to £13.8bn in Q4. The number of transaction was more or less unchanged. Over 2009 as a whole however the value of acquisitions in UK by foreign companies was the lowest since 1993 at £30.8bn, a decrease of 41%. UK companies' interest in foreign companies decreased from £2.5bn in Q3 to £0.9bn in Q4, the lowest since records began in 1987. The total value of acquisitions by UK companies in foreign companies in 2009 as a whole was £9.9bn, the lowest since 2004. UK companies decreased their interest in UK companies from £1.9bn to 1.3bn between Q3 and Q4 2009. The total value for 2009 was £12.1bn, the lowest level since 1994.

The number of transactions in the UK by foreign companies in Q3 2009 for the £4bn was 27 and the £13.8bn in Q4 was from 26 transactions, the highest quarterly value since Q2 2008. Among the transactions taking place were the acquisition of Barclays Global Investors by Blackrock, Friends Provident by Resolution and the disposal and acquisition of Gatwick Airport. Foreign companies also disposed of 11 UK companies during the quarter. The total number of acquisitions in the UK by foreign companies in 2009 was 100 down from 252 in 2008, the lowest since 1988. A total of 78 of the 100 were direct transactions. Inward investment came mainly from Europe with 62% with 54% of the total came from EU countries, American companies accounted for 37% with the US accounting for 34% of the total and Africa, Asia and Oceania 1% each.

Transactions abroad by UK companies totalled £0.6bn in value in 2009 from £17bn in 2008. Another lowest figure since records began in 1987. Net transactions in the UK by foreign companies amounted to £24bn in 2009 from £47.4bn in 2008. Net cross-border acquisitions and disposals of UK companies totalled -£23.4bn in value.

The number of transactions abroad by UK companies was 26 in Q3 and 25 in Q4 2009 for a total value of £2.5bn and £0.9bn respectively. UK companies secured the disposal abroad of 6 companies worth £2bn in Q4 2009. Transactions taking place included the disposal of SPE S.A. by Centrica, of Aviva Australia Holdings by Aviva Plc and Balfour Beatty Plc's acquisition of Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc. The annual total of £9.9bn was from 99 transactions down from 298 in 2008, the lowest since 1987. Of the total of 99, 81 were direct transactions. The Americas were the primary destination for UK companies accounting for 50% of the total of overseas transactions, the EU accounted for 17%, Africa 16% and Asia 10%.

UK companies decreased their interest in UK companies in Q4 by 67% to £12.1bn but significant transactions included the acquisition of the Central African Mining and Exploration Company by the Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation and the acquisition of Avalon Acquisitions by Just Retirement (Holdings). There were a total of 59 transactions during Q4 2009 compared with 62 in Q3. They consisted of 39 acquisitions of independent companies and 20 by company groups that involved subsidiaries.

The total number of mergers and acquisitions in 2009 was 266 worth £12.1bn, 180 were mergers and acquisitions of indpendent companies and 86 were sales of subsidiaries between company groups.

Low Level Of M&A Activity Involving UK Companies

Foreign companies spent less on acquisitions in the UK in Q2 2009 in the lowest number of transactions since Q2 1987. There were 14 such transactions compared with 25 in Q1 2009. The fall from £12.3bn to £0.4bn is also the lowest since Q2 1987. UK companies also spent less on acquisitions abroad with expenditure decreasing from £3.7bn in 17 transactions in Q1 to £2.4bn in Q2 2009 in 25 transactions. UK to UK acquisition transactions decreased from 88 to 41 with a value of £0.7bn in Q2 2009 the lowest since Q3 1992. Included in these latest statistics from the ONS are the acquisition of a controlling stake in the Vodacom Group by Vodaphone Group for £1.6bn and the disposal of Cadbury by Schweppes Australia for a reported -£0.6bn. UK to UK transactions included the acquisition of Aricom Plc by Peter Hambro Mining Plc.