Let’s talk business: Singapore M&A activity in its busiest since 2008

Singapore M&A Activity – Busiest Since 2008

Deal momentum for overall M&A activity in Singapore grew steadily as value of transactions increased 33.3% to US$35.2 billion thus far, from US$26.4 billion in the first nine months of 2010. This is the busiest year-to-date volume since 2008 ( US$54.2 billion). Deal count remained steady with 704 transactions.

As of end-preliminary date, domestic M&A transactions doubled in value to US$8.6 billion, accounting for 24% of Singaporean-involvement M&A activity. This is the busiest first three quarter period since 2001 (US$12.5 billion). Meanwhile, total cross-border transactions reached US$17.6 billion so far this year, 13.0% lower than the volume in 2010. Inbound and Outbound acquisitions accounted for 29.2% and 70.8%, respectively, of cross-border activity.

Overall SouthEast Asia announced M&A volume rose 30.0% to US$81.5 billion, with Malaysia (US$13.9 billion) as the most targeted nation, followed by Singapore (US$13.7 billion) and Indonesia (US$11.7 billion).

Real Estate Sector Takes the Lead

The completed acquisition of Hong Kong’s Festival Walk Mall in a deal valued at US$2.4 billion by an investor group, including Mapletree Investments of Singapore, drove Singapore-involvement
transactions in the Real Estate sector up 63.5% from the first nine months in 2010.

Deal making activity in Real Estate involving Singapore companies totaled US$10.7 billion to date and surpassed the US$9.1 billion annual volume in 2010. The sector overtook Financials (US$7.4 billion) which was the most targeted industry for the past two quarters of 2011.

Singapore Private Equity-related M&A Recovers Steadily

Private Equity-backed M&A in Singapore saw a triple-digit increase as volume picked up this quarter to US$262.5 million, from US$24.3 million in 2Q 2011, bringing total volume this year to US$1.0 billion from 13 deals. This is double the deal value during the first nine months in 2010.

In the broader Southeast Asia region, financial sponsor buyouts reached US$6.1 billion, a 49.3%
increase from the first three quarters of 2010. Malaysia accounted for 64.1% with US$3.9 billion worth of transactions, followed by Singapore (16.5%).