2014 Mergers & Acquisitions Outlook Survey

Dykema has released the results of its 2014 Mergers & Acquisitions Outlook Survey, the firm’s 10^th annual survey of leading company executives and outside advisors in the M&A space. As with preceding installments, this year’s survey canvassed senior executives—CEOs, CFOs and other professionals involved in M&A activities with their respective firms—to gauge their insights and perspectives on the mergers and acquisitions market in the coming 12 months.

Survey respondents from 13 different sectors, in such areas as automotive, technology and financial services, answered questions about how the U.S. economy and domestic and global matters will impact the M&A market. The survey provides a snapshot of the M&A market and the economy this year and how it compares to the past decade. Key findings from this year’s survey:

• Things are looking up. 62 percent of respondents are positive about the U.S. economy over the next 12 months compared to 2005 when only 51 percent of respondents were positive about the U.S. economy in the next year. This percentage dipped to as low as 8 percent in 2008.
• Buyer’s interest. With so much available capital, 59 percent of respondents expect to be involved in an acquisition next year, while only 35 percent expect to be involved in a sale.
• Influencing the market. 43 percent of respondents say the availability of capital is most responsible for fueling M&A activity, and 25 percent cited the U.S. economy.

To read the complete summary of Dykema’s 2014 Mergers & Acquisitions Outlook Survey, please click here.