City a hub for deal activity says Lupton

pro·manchester, in association with Corpfin/Experian, is pleased to present you with its Corporate Finance Deals Review for Q2 2011.

The aim of this publication is to provide you with an insight into the activities of Manchester’s financial advisory community, by looking at the deals in which Manchester-based advisors have been involved. Rather than just focusing on transactions involving Manchester based companies, we provide analysis of all deals that Manchester’s advisors have worked on globally. We believe that this provides a clearer picture of the full reach of Manchester’s advisory community.

pro·manchester Chairman Paul Lupton said " The Q2 2011 review reinforces Manchester’s position as the leading financial advisory centre outside of London, with the city acting as a hub for deal activity across the UK and overseas.

The quarter has been characterised by some of the North West’s leading corporates re-asserting their influence on a regional and national level, most notably BetFred’s successful bid to buy the Tote (officially a Q3 deal) and Peel’s recommended offer for Pinewood.

In terms of the broader M&A market,acquisitions both by UK and overseas trade buyers dominated deal activity, reflecting the longer term expansionary strategies that many trade buyers are now adopting. The private equity market is also showing signs of recovery although it faces strong competition from resurgent trade buyers. The market however remains fragile, with a reduction in the number of deals that Manchester-based advisors worked compared to Q1, a trend that is reflected across the UK.

From looking at the review I am confident that Manchester’s advisory community continues to be at the forefront of M&A activity"

You can download the full report here!

All figures are produced and provided by Experian Corpfin.