The recession is over and mergers and acqisitions are on the increase

The UK has emerged from recession (with growth of 0.4% in Q4 of 2009 and 0.2% in Q1 of 2010) and corporate deal activity is on the increase.

Adam Stronach, the Harwood Hutton Corporate & Forensic Services partner, comments that, “In the last three to six months we have seen a significant increase in enquiries and work in the M&A arena. We have advised on a diverse range of deals, from helping an engineering client find an external MBI candidate to help bolster its management team to assisting another client secure investment from a UK quoted company. We are currently engaged to assist a media client find business angel or private equity finance to help fund its future growth plans and are helping a freight company with its negotiations to acquire a competitor”.

“This is in addition to other transactional and restructuring work we have been engaged in, helping clients to incorporate and restructure their commercial operations as they prepare themselves for the challenges ahead as the economy moves out of recession. One of our larger assignments has been to conduct financial due diligence on a UK target for a purchaser who is quoted overseas”.

If you are thinking of buying or selling a business, or want advice on sources of funding or on how to restructure your operations, please contact Adam Stronach on 01494 739500.