Mergers and acquisitions never reached the fizzy levels experts predicted, but 2013 is still shaping up to be the best year for U.S. deal activity in five years.
Although most mergers and acquisitions ultimately fail to create value for shareholders down the road, it's hard to say that the economy or markets are truly healthy without them -- and that's not just because investment bankers and corporate law firms need to get paid.
Companies don't do much wheeling and dealing when markets and the economy are in a funk. A pickup in mergers and acquisitions activity is a sign of confidence -- and the market's animal spirits and investor psychology are as critical as anything to ensuring better times ahead.
Despite notching one of the biggest mergers and acquisitions on record, 2013 was hardly a whirlwind of deal activity, but it did pick up smartly.
U.S. mergers and acquisitions volume totaled $865.1 billion in the first nine months of 2013, according to Dealogic. That's a 39 percent increase over the same period a year ago -- and the highest nine-month total since 2008.
Some deals made huge splashes, while other passed by more quietly -- but all of them contributed to the recovery in M&A. Read on to see the top 10 mergers and acquisitions of 2013, according to FactSet. •MSN Money: The best and worst investments of 2013
More from InvestorPlace: •5 surefire dividend stocks to buy •5 stocks that could double in 2014 •Daily stock picks and market advice
Big deals
ReplyDeleteMergers and acquisitions never reached the fizzy levels experts predicted, but 2013 is still shaping up to be the best year for U.S. deal activity in five years.
Although most mergers and acquisitions ultimately fail to create value for shareholders down the road, it's hard to say that the economy or markets are truly healthy without them -- and that's not just because investment bankers and corporate law firms need to get paid.
Companies don't do much wheeling and dealing when markets and the economy are in a funk. A pickup in mergers and acquisitions activity is a sign of confidence -- and the market's animal spirits and investor psychology are as critical as anything to ensuring better times ahead.
Despite notching one of the biggest mergers and acquisitions on record, 2013 was hardly a whirlwind of deal activity, but it did pick up smartly.
U.S. mergers and acquisitions volume totaled $865.1 billion in the first nine months of 2013, according to Dealogic. That's a 39 percent increase over the same period a year ago -- and the highest nine-month total since 2008.
Some deals made huge splashes, while other passed by more quietly -- but all of them contributed to the recovery in M&A. Read on to see the top 10 mergers and acquisitions of 2013, according to FactSet.
•MSN Money: The best and worst investments of 2013
More from InvestorPlace:
•5 surefire dividend stocks to buy
•5 stocks that could double in 2014
•Daily stock picks and market advice