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Worldwide mergers and acquisition activity will hit £2.4 trillion ($3.2 trillion) next year, as deal-making is elevated on an increasing global economic tide, according to recent forecasts. Investors are feeling “increasingly confident” due to a spike in global trade and GDP development across most of the world, according to research by law firm Baker McKenzie and consultants Oxford Economics. 2018 will mark a “cyclical peak” for numerous macroeconomic and financial deal drivers,… Read More
Benchmark International is pleased to announce that a deal between Levy Brothers & Knowles Limited (LBK) to NNZ has been agreed. LBK Packaging has been established since 1831 and as one of the UK’s leading independent packaging suppliers, they offer a full range of flexible packaging products from their bases in Liverpool and Glasgow. LBK’s packaging is compliant with all EU food packaging regulations, and their experienced sales team is always on… Read More
Benchmark International is pleased to announce the sale of Topcrete Limited (inc Allen Concrete Limited) to SigmaRoc for a total deal value of £17.1m (including assets extracted by the sellers totalling £4.6m. SigmaRoc Plc is an AIM listed company that invests in and operates new and existing construction material assets, in places where opportunity is greatest. Chairman David Barrett said: “We are very pleased to welcome Allen Concrete to the SigmaRoc… Read More
According to a recent report, UK companies are braced for a surge in deal-making this year, as executives prepare their businesses for life away from the European Union. Accountancy juggernaut Ernst & Young found that 51% of UK firms expect to actively pursue mergers and acquisitions within the next 12 months, a rise of three percent from October 2016, but slightly lagging behind the global figure of 56%. Despite the backdrop of… Read More
Phillip Hammond of the British Conservative Party has delivered his first budget, outlining the governments plans for both the economy and public finances. We at Benchmark International have put together a summary of all this, highlighting the most important points and explaining just what kind of impact they will have on the average taxpayer. As of April 2017 – new announcements: Package of measures to give some relief to small businesses who… Read More
Benchmark International is proud to announce that it has placed top of the North West Financial Adviser table for the second consecutive year in Experian’s annual North West and Manchester Corporate Finance Review. Having advised on 34 transactions during 2016, Benchmark International dominated the table for the most active individuals in the North West, with the top three spots being filled by Peter Kelly, Nick Hulme and James Robinson. “I would like… Read More
Siccar Point Energy, an exploration and pipelining company based in Aberdeen and backed by private-equity, have pulled off a significant deal to acquire OMV’s North Sea interests. The $1bn deal is estimated to be the largest for the offshore energy industry in the UK, following the severe drop in crude prices. This is the second significant deal of the year that the highly acquisitive firm has made in the North Sea. The… Read More
Despite major political disruption from events such as Britain leaving the EU and the election of a new president of the United States, 2016 is gearing up to be the biggest year for M&A deal announcements since 2007. According to the Intralinks Deal Flow Predictor, which has a proven track record for accuracy, there will be a three per cent increase in the total number of M&A deals to be announced globally… Read More
Regardless of which way the referendum goes this week, an end to speculation over the UK’s membership of the European Union could pave the way for significant M&A activity across the FTSE All-Share. The Brexit vote has been looming over the UK mid-cap market this year and there is little doubt that it has led to a decrease in corporate activity. A number of deals, including potential takeovers, have been grinded to… Read More