LONDON — The industrials and chemicals sector recorded 3,118 deals worth $474.3 billion in 2015, according to Mergermarket’s recently released Global Industrials & Chemicals M&A 2015 Trend Report. The number is up 16.5 percent in value compared to 2014, which recorded 3,263 deals worth $407.1 billion.

Despite concerns over China’s slowing economy, especially in manufacturing, Industrials and Chemicals, as a whole, had a strong showing, according to the report. The year ended with 705 deals worth $165.9 billion in 4Q 2015, the highest valued quarter in Mergermarket history, and a 16.4 percent increase in value compared to 4Q 2014.

Additionally, the Products and Services sub-sector, traditionally the highest valued sub-sector with 1,497 deals worth $181.4 billion, was slightly edged out by Chemicals and Materials, 422 deals worth $181.9 billion, to be the highest valued sub-sector for the year. Chemicals & Materials was up 72.7 percent by value compared to 2014, which saw 469 deals worth $105.3 billion. The Chemicals and Materials sub-sector was boosted by E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Cos.’ $77 billion acquisition of The Dow Chemical Co., and Air Liquide’s $13.4 billion acquisition of Airgas Refrigerants Inc. The two deals combined accounted for half of the subsectors total value for the year.

To read the full report, visit http://bit.ly/1nlpkQn.

Publication date: 3/14/2016 

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