Ohio Dealmakers More Optimistic About M&A Environment

CLEVELAND, May 05, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- After 18 months of pervasive gloom, dealmakers from Ohio are increasingly more positive about the M&A environment, according to the twice yearly ACG-Thomson Reuters DealMakers Survey.

The latest survey results reveal a sunnier sentiment about the dealmaking environment. While the last three surveys were consistently dreary, with more than 80% of dealmakers reporting a fair to poor M&A environment, the most recent survey reports that 94% of Ohio dealmakers expect an increase in M&A activity in the next six months.

The survey, by the Association for Corporate Growth(R) and Thomson Reuters, polled investment bankers, private equity professionals, corporate development officers, lawyers, accountants and business consultants in March and April 2010.

ACG Cleveland members echoed the survey's results. "We've seen an increase in the quality of the deals in 2010 as compared to last year," said Thomas Littman, president and senior managing partner of middle-market private equity firm Kirtland Capital Partners. "While we're not back to the crazy days of 2007-2008, we are bullish on the outlook for the M&A market for the rest of 2010."

Dealmakers expect the following sectors to experience the most merger activity in the second half of 2010:

-- Manufacturing and Distribution (33%)

-- Healthcare/Life Sciences (18%)

-- Technology (15%)

-- Consumer Products & Services (9%)

They expect the following sectors to experience the most organic growth:

-- Healthcare/Life Sciences (29%)

-- Government-Related (29%)

-- Business Services (12%)

-- Financial Services (12%)