根据数据供应商路孚特，过去一周没有宣布达成一笔规模超过10亿美元的并购交易，此为2004年9月以来首见，因新型冠状病毒妨碍全球并购活动。
数据显示，今年至今全球并购活动较去年同期下滑33%、并购活动总额为7,626亿美元，创下2013年以来同期最低。交易案数量也较去年同期下滑20%。
律师事务所贝克∙麦坚时(Baker McKenzie)亚太并购小组的Robert Wright表示，“我们预期本季宣布的签约交易数量可能会比较少，因交易者得花比较多时间厘清新冠病毒的冲击。”
“然而对于那些交易方已经完成尽职调查(due diligence)程序的、以及那些基本面仍旧强劲的，我们的确预期会有不少交易回归。”
在交易环境变化和不确定性极高的情况下，企业放弃了已宣布的交易。
为保护本国资产，全球各地的监管机构也收紧了对外商投资的规定。上周印度规定，来自与之交界邻国的一家实体的投资需要得到政府的批准，此举旨在抑制“投机性质的”收购。
澳洲和德国也加强了对外资的审查。
目前买家在等待评估疫情造成的真正影响，因此大型交易基本上暂时搁置，在政府和央行试图重振经济之际，投行将目光转向那些需要援救、重组或有可能被国有化的企业，寻找其它相关工作来做。
不过，经济努力从疫情所致的低迷中复苏，料将支撑并购活动。
咨询公司安永(EY)在3月的一份报告中称，在接受该公司调查的全球2,900多名高管中，约有56%计划在未来12个月进行并购，因为他们的目光需要越过当前的危机，确保长期增长。
该报告称，“如果当前危机导致经济长期低迷，高管们可能会更加大胆，寻求收购那些有助于业务加速实现好转的资产。”
Coronavirus takes toll on global M&A as $1 billion deals disappear
For the first time since September 2004, no merger and acquisition deal worth more than $1 billion was announced worldwide last week, according to data provider Refinitiv, as the new coronavirus stifles global M&A.
The dearth of mega deals comes as countries across the world have shut down large swathes of their economies as they battle the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected over 2.33 million people and claimed 165,000 lives.
Worldwide merger activity so far this year is down 33 percent from a year ago and at $762.6 billion is the lowest year-to-date amount for dealmaking since 2013, the data showed. The number of deals also fell 20 percent year-on-year.
“We anticipate that there may be fewer signed deals announced this quarter as parties take longer to work through the impact of the COVID-19 situation,” said Robert Wright of law firm Baker McKenzie’s Asia-Pacific M&A group.
“However, where parties have completed underlying due diligence processes and where there remain strong fundamentals, we do expect to see a number of these deals to come back online.”
Companies have been walking away from announced transactions amid changed deal conditions and high levels of uncertainty. Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard on Monday said it would shelve its $5.6 billion buyout of petrol station operator Caltex Australia Ltd (CTX.AX), as fuel demand plunges and as companies look inward to get through the crisis.
Regulators worldwide have also toughened rules for foreign investments to protect national assets. India last week ruled that investments by an entity from a country that shares a land border with it will require government approval in a move to curb “opportunistic takeovers/acquisitions”.
Australia and Germany have also stepped up scrutiny over overseas investors.
With big deals largely put on hold as buyers wait to gauge the true impact of the pandemic, dealmakers are seeking other, related work on companies needing rescues, restructurings and potentially nationalizations as governments and central banks try to shore up their economies.
Still, efforts to recover from the virus-driven downturn are set to support M&A activity.
Some 56 percent of more than 2,900 executives surveyed globally by consultancy EY were planning an acquisition in the next 12 months, as they need to look beyond the current crisis to secure long-term growth, the firm said in a March report.
“If there is any prolonged downturn due to the current crisis, executives may be bolder in their ambitions and look to acquire those assets that will help them accelerate into an upturn faster,” the report said.
