IMAP Global Trends M&A 2018-2019

At the start of the year, the outlook for Q1 was highly optimistic, with expectations of slowing inflation, lower interest rates, and improving growth projections. Unfortunately, we live in interesting times. Early in the year, speculation around the disruptive impact of AI on traditional SaaS business models triggered a significant revaluation in parts of the Software sector. More recently, escalation in the Middle East conflict has introduced fresh volatility – pushing oil prices higher, adding upward pressure on inflation, and creating supply-chain uncertainties. While it is too early to tell how these new shocks will eventually affect the global M&A market, we can be sure that our dealmakers around the world are on the ground every day – negotiating, re-evaluating, adjusting positions, and adapting to whatever the environment throws at them to deliver the best outcomes for their clients. They’ve done it for over 50 years, and that’s exactly what they’ll continue to do, no matter the conditions.