Increased M&A8 Nov 2018 16:54
https://www.kitco.com/news/2018-11-08/EY-Mining-Executives-Expect-Increased-M-A-Activity-In-Next-Year.html
Merger-and-acquisition activity in the mining sector is likely to pick up in the next year, said the consultancy EY in a report Thursday.
The firm’s 19th Capital Confidence Barometer shows that 58% of global mining executives say they intend to pursue mergers and acquisitions in the next 12 months, compared with 46% across all sectors.
EY said the autumn announcement that Barrick Gold Corp. (NYSE, TSX: ABX) will acquire Randgold Resources Ltd. (Nasdaq: GOLD) for $6.5 billion could influence other industry participants to aim at increased volume through mergers and acquisitions.
The EY report said that 74% global mining and metals executives say that they expect the M&A market to improve in the next 12 months, up from 53% last year. Further, 52% say that their M&A pipeline will increase in the coming 12 months, compared with 34% a year ago. Sixty percent also expect to see an increase in the number of completed deals, almost double last year’s response rate of 34%.
“The latest Capital Confidence Barometer indicates that caution could now be lifting, and 2019 may well see the sector enter a new phase, marked by acquisitive growth and bolder deal-making.”