Deep dive into the 2024 deals data

A surge in deal numbers in 2024 boosted by Mad October

Hello Rainmakers,

We’re going for a dive into the data today.

According to Experian merger and acquisition (M&A) deals soared during 2024, but a lot of that was down to mad October.

Dive in…

Experian are our go-to for deals data and the latest report by data broker and consumer credit reporting company, showed that the overall value remained largely unchanged, compared with the 2023 levels.

Taking one region as an example, the North West was the UK’s fourth most active M&A market last year, with the region’s businesses having a part in 15% of total UK deal volume, while contributing seven per cent of total transaction value.

October 2024 marked the busiest month on Experian record for deal volume in the region, with 199 transactions. This surge reflects a broader UK trend, as companies rushed to finalise deals ahead of budget changes concerning capital gains tax and carried interest rules.

Deals in the sub-£10m price range saw a 20% decline in both volume and value compared with 2023. Conversely, the mid-market demonstrated robust growth, with deal numbers rising from 66 in 2023 to 79 in 2024, and value increasing by 51% from £1.9bn to £2.8bn.

High value deals experienced mixed results. Large cap deals fell by 12% in volume but maintained their value, while mega deals dropped by 40% in volume and six per cent in value.

Despite declines in sub-£10m deals and high value transactions, the overall stability in deal value indicates a resilient market, said the report.

The sustained value of large cap deals underscores ongoing confidence in substantial investments, while the modest decrease in mega deal values suggests a cautious, yet not overly pessimistic, outlook among the largest market players.