We are pleased to present Clyde & Co’s Insurance Growth Report 2019 – mid-year update.
In this analysis of insurance M&A activity in the first six months of the year, we find that deal making is very much still on the corporate agenda. M&A volumes rose in the first half of 2019 with 222 completed deals worldwide, up 13% on the second half of 2018. This is the biggest increase since H1 2015 and the fourth consecutive six-month period of growth.
While the Americas was the most active region, the biggest increase in activity was in Europe, which saw a 40% increase in M&A as companies moved on from the diversion of Brexit preparations. Asia Pacific recorded its fourth consecutive period of rising deal volumes with Japanese acquirors again the most active, ahead of Australia and India.
As we look ahead to the second half of the year, we see a limited pool of targets at the top end of the market which may make it increasingly difficult for buyers and sellers to come to an agreement on valuations. A dip in large deal announcements will likely translate into fewer big-ticket insurance transactions completing in the second half of the year.
