M&A professionals: Prepare for a rise in deals

Key Findings:

• M&A leaders expect valuations to rise or stay the same over the next six months.
• Technology deals could lead the way for a rise in transactions.
• Alternative funding sources are likely to remain a key component of the deal environment.
• More than half of respondents said the election in November will have no effect on their M&A plans.

Private equity transactions also could drive an increase in deal volume as many PE firms have investor funds that they need to deploy soon to avoid having to return funds to their investors. And almost half of M&A leaders expect to increase their team size over the next six months, indicating that they're expecting an uptick in work.

“The amount of sell-side work we’re seeing right now should translate into increased volume when these opportunities hit the market in the next couple of months,” said Grant Thornton Transaction Advisory National Managing Principal Elliot Findlay. “There are a lot of positive tailwinds right now, and the market is indicating that volumes will pick up.”

For full details on the M&A landscape, download our survey report.