According to Dealogic, global merger and acquisition (M&A) deals in the telecom sector were valued at $ 343.4 billion in 2013. In comparison, between January and November 2012, M&A transactions in the telecom sector were valued at $164.4 billion.
The tracking firm states that the number of M&A deals signed between January and November 2013 were the highest since 2000. In 2000, M&A deals were valued at $ 733.4 billion. In 2013, the global telecom M&A market was driven by Verizon Communications Inc acquiring the Vodafone Group?s 45 per cent stake in Verizon Wireless Inc. The deal was concluded on September 1, 2013. Excluding this, global telecom M&A deals totaled $213.4 billion, a 30 per cent growth over the previous year.
In all, 843 telecom M&A deals were signed in 2013, compared to 960 in 2012. The telecom sector accounted for 14 per cent of the total global M&A deal volume.
North America accounted for the largest share of telecom M&A deals with a 55 per cent share ($ 187.5 billion) in 2013, followed by Europe and North Asia with 33 per cent ($ 114.6 billion) and 4 per cent share ($ 13.5 billion) respectively.
