By Greg Hazley
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher vaulted to the top of U.S. M&A communications advisors in 2010 counseling $133.6 billion worth of deals last year, according to mergermarket.
Source: mergermarket |
That included advising CenturyLink in its $22.2 billion bid for Qwest Communications, the No. 2 U.S. transaction in 2010, along with FirstEnergy’s nearly $9B acquisition of Allegheny Energy.
The largest deal of the year – the U.S. Treasury’s sale of its stake in AIG, valued at $48B – did not list any outside PR counsel.
Kekst and Company was the most prolific U.S. advisor in 2010, handling 98 transactions, five more than Abernathy MacGregor Group.
Globally, Brunswick Group and FD remained atop mergermarket’s rankings for a second straight year. Brunswick topped deals by value in 2010 at $227.8B, while FD worked 223 transactions, 55 more than second-place Brunswick.
The two firms also topped the European and Asia-Pacific rankings, as well.
Source: mergermarket |
Mergermarket said that U.S. M&A activity was up only four percent last year from 2009, while global activity rose nearly 25% The number of deals in the U.S. rose 30%, however, with 3,499 transactions recorded.
In the U.S. by deal volume, Joele Frank was followed by Kekst, Sard Verbinnen & Co., Brunswick, and AMG. FD, Finsbury Group, Owen Blicksilver PR, Kreab Gavin Anderson and Edelman rounded out the top 10. Kreab GA jumped from 20th last year to land at No. 9.
Measured by number of deals, Kekst was followed by AMG (93), Joele Frank (88), FD (78), Sard Verbinnen & Co. (67), Brunswick (65), Owen Blicksilver (37), Finsbury (34), Citigate (25) and Edelman (20).
Related:
FD, Brunswick are Top Deal Advisors in '09
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