OREANDA-NEWS. February 27, 2012. Research from PwC has found a significant increase in European financial services M&A activity during the fourth quarter of 2011. M&A activity increased by 330% from EUR 5.0bn in Q3 2011 to EUR 16.5bn in Q4, reported the press-centre of PwC.

This represents a 74% increase on the comparable figure of EUR 9.5bn recorded in the 4th quarter of 2010. However, despite this increase, yearly total deal values for 2011 decreased by 25% compared with 2010, resulting in the lowest yearly figure since 2003 (EUR 37.9bn, down from EUR 50.3bn in 2010).

There were a number of reasons for the sharp increase in deal values in Q4 2011. The two most prominent were the return of government led deals and increased mid-market activity. Q4 deal values received a boost from the nationalisation of Dexia Bank Belgium (EUR 4bn), the first large government led deal since AIB’s nationalisation in December 2010. Q4 2011 also saw the UK government’s sale of Northern Rock and some disposals by government-owned banks in Belgium, Luxembourg, the UK and France.

Mid-market deal activity also showed a marked revival from deal values of EUR 2.6bn in the third quarter of 2011 to EUR 5.9bn in Q4 with a number of significant bank restructuring deals.

The report suggests that M&A activity in 2012 will continue to be unpredictable. Q4 2011 was a step towards historical levels of activity and many of the drivers of M&A continue to exist. However, the continued political, economic and financial uncertainty means that many companies are cautious to act.

Upcoming annual results announcements by the major financial services institutions are expected to continue to show a polarisation effect with stronger institutions showing a renewed appetite for acquisitions on the one hand and continued significant restructuring of less profitable businesses on the other.

"The ongoing turbulence in Europe, the demands for greater capital levels, the necessity for continued restructuring and the search for growth all point to the prospect of increasing deal making within the financial services industry,” said Julian  Smith, Partner, Global transport infrastructure leader and M&As leader, PwC in Russia . “We expect that in 2012 we will see an increasing number of non-European financial services businesses – particularly from China, Brazil and Russia – seeking to invest in the European markets."

“Despite recent asset outflows and uncertainty in the capital markets, the longer term prospects for the asset management sector look increasingly positive. The growth opportunities and the increased requirements for economies of scale from the significant incoming regulation make a compelling argument for consolidation,” explains said Julian  Smith, Partner, Global transport infrastructure leader and M&As leader, PwC in Russia.