Surveyed M&A executives are sending clear and strong signals that dealmaking—particularly alternatives to “traditional” M&A—will be an important lever as businesses recover and thrive in the post–COVID-19 economy. Deloitte’s Future of M&A Trends Survey polled 1,000 executives at US corporations and private equity investor (PEI) firms between August 20 and September 1, 2020 to assess current and future M&A plans: more than half of these US dealmakers (61%) expect M&A activity to return to pre–COVID-19 levels within the next 12 months.
Key highlights:
•Given current economic and political uncertainty, 42% of survey participants indicate increased interest in alternatives to traditional M&A
•One-third (33%) of dealmakers surveyed are responding to structural sector disruption by accelerating long-term transformation of their business models as part of their M&A strategy in response to COVID-19
•Cybersecurity threats are top of mind for more than half (51%) of respondents as companies manage deals virtually
•The biggest challenges to M&A success are now uncertain market conditions, translating business strategic needs into an M&A strategy, and valuation of assets
•Interest in international dealmaking has declined; focus has shifted to domestic M&A opportunities
•The anticipated impact of the 2020 US presidential election on corporate and PEI dealmakers’ willingness and ability to do deals is nearly split: 25% of respondents say uncertainty surrounding the election has slowed deal activity, and 23% say it has accelerated deal activity