An appetite for mergers and acquisitions could be returning to the U.S. this year, according to a recent survey of executives leading industries across the M&A market.
The findings, the result of a survey published by audit and advisory firm KPMG in partnership with Fortune Knowledge Group, revealed that 91 percent of executives surveyed said they intended to initiate at least one acquisition this year, compared to 81 percent in 2015 and 63 percent in 2014. While 38 percent said they would initiate between one and three acquisition deals — fewer than the 48 percent who aligned with this statement in 2015 — 34 percent said they now plan to set in motion between four and six deals this year, double the 17 percent who said this in 2015. While nine percent admitted they either wouldn’t take up an M&A deal or simply didn’t know, this was half the 18 percent who offered the same statement a year prior.
According to the KPMG study, executives’ appetite for M&A in 2015 was characterized overwhelmingly by an organizational desire to fortify competitive positions in current markets. This year, however, more than a third of respondents — 37 percent — said their primary motivations for planning to initiate M&A deals was due to a desire to enter into lines of new business or to expand their customer reach. Other reasons included expanding geographic reach — 36 percent — enhancing intellectual property or acquiring new technologies — 34 percent — or in the advent that a strategic target became available.
A majority of respondents — 52 percent — anticipate the average enterprise value of acquisitions this year to be less than $250 million, and an even larger percentage — 71 percent — see technology as being the biggest industry for overall M&A activity in 2016.
An overwhelming majority — 79 percent — said the U.S. was the geographical area where respondents anticipate the most M&A activity this year. Other noted destinations included western Europe — 21 percent — and countries in North America excluding the U.S. China, whose economy has faltered in recent months, ranked only 11 percent, as did the rest of Asia.
The KPMG/Fortune Knowledge Group survey polled more than 550 U.S. corporate and private equity leaders, M&A professionals, investors and advisors. The complete survey report can be downloaded here.
Spectrum Science acquires clinical trial recruitment and engagement solutions provider Continuum Clinical.
How PR agency owners can navigate the M&A process in a way that yields a rewarding experience for both owners and the teams they leave behind.
Ten potential ways an agency sale can positively benefit team members and employees.
Kekst CNC reps Palladium Equity Partners and its joint venture affiliate, Palladium Heritage, on the acquisition of National Auto Parts, USA;, NAP San Diego; and National Auto Parts-Oakland to form Collision Auto Parts, a platform serving customers in the automotive aftermarket collision repair sector.
ICR has acquired Bullfrog + Baum, the 23-year-old PR shop focused on the hospitality, lifestyle, travel and consumer marketing sectors.
Have a comment? Send it to 
No comments have been submitted for this story yet.