Findings from GrowthBusiness’ M&A on AIM 2012 reveal that although the number of acquisitions and disposals only grew by one, spend on deals climbed 50 per cent to nearly £2 billion.
The report, sponsored by Crowe Clarke Whitehill and Howard Kennedy, finds that that M&A activity has grown despite AIM’s population diminishing by 6 per cent over the past 12 months.
Deal figures for the first quarter of 2012 showed a similar number of acquisitions over the same period in 2011, and a surge of 31 per cent to £362 million in value.
The AIM market lost a net 51 companies, as a result of 90 admissions and 141 delistings, during 2011. This figure marks a low rate of attrition compared to previous years when a net loss of 144 was recorded in 2008, 257 in 2009 and 99 in 2010.
Robin Stevens, partner at Crowe Clark Whitehill, comments, ‘One benefit of the last four years of financial stress is that clients and advisers have in general had to become more realistic as regards values, timing and ability to raise funds.’
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