The trend of mergers and acquisitions in the financial services sector has been prompted by the economic unrest of the 21st century, in which companies that survived the storm have rescued suffering competitors by buying them out.
The cyclical nature of the retail industry is another factor in mergers and acquisitions as it usually causes cash flow issues for businesses, making them vulnerable targets for more financially sound rivals. Therefore, a company must consult an industrial m&a firm to assist in the merger and acquisition process.
Due to this emerging trend, industries that see the most significant mergers and acquisitions (M&A) include those in healthcare, technology, financial services, and retail. Many small and medium-sized businesses in the technology and healthcare sectors find it difficult to compete in the market with the few industry-dominating behemoths. These businesses frequently find it more profitable to be purchased by one of the giants for a hefty payout.
The following are some industries where Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) are likely to happen.
Healthcare Sector
Small and medium-sized businesses that don’t have the financial resources to keep up with the changing business dynamics have found it challenging to compete in the healthcare industry, which is experiencing fast transformation thanks mainly to government laws. In addition, as healthcare prices continue to rise despite government efforts to control them, many of these businesses find it challenging to compete in the market and end up being swallowed up by more prominent, better-capitalized companies.
Technology Industry
Like the health care sector, technology develops so quickly that businesses need a significant presence and sizable financial backing to stay relevant. Industry behemoths like Google, Meta (formerly Facebook), and Microsoft have the resources to develop new ideas and products and sell them. Instead of trying to compete, many smaller businesses team up with the major players in the market.
Retail
M&A frequently occurs in retail. This industry is quite cyclical. General economic conditions heavily influence the performance of retail businesses. When times are good, more people shop, which benefits these businesses.
When things are tough, individuals are more frugal and only buy what they need. During these downturns, there is significant M&A activity in the retail industry. As a result, hiring an industrial m&a firm to coordinate the M&A process is advisable. However, companies can maintain good cash flow when the economy dips and find themselves in a position to acquire competitors unable to stay afloat when they experience reduced revenues.
Finance Sector
The M&A market in the financial services sector has been consistently active. Competitors purchased many businesses that were unable to resist the downturn brought on by the financial crisis of 2007–2008. The government supervised and helped in the process in some instances. Despite a significant decline in bank mergers due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the banking industry’s consolidation continued from 2019 to 2021.
Two factors are driving M&A activity in the financial services sector. First of all, due to regulatory changes, some business operations have become more problematic for some large institutions than they are worth. Second, new competitors have boosted market competition and altered the environment for the incumbent businesses.