2009 Key Highlights

  • The Information Industryís most active buyers in 2009, based on the number (volume) of announced transactions, were Thomson Reuters and The Carlyle Group, each with 9 businesses purchased either directly or through a partner or affiliate.
  • The largest transaction for 2009 was Comcast Corporationís announced acquisition of NBC Universal, a subsidiary of General Electric Company, for $13.75 billion.

2009 vs. 2008 Key Trends

  • Total transaction volume in 2009 decreased by 22 percent over 2008 from 1,716 in 2008 to 1,337 in 2009.
  • Total transaction value in 2009 increased by 3 percent over 2008, from $82.12 billion in 2008 to $84.31 billion in 2009.
  • Financially sponsored transactions represented 15 percent of the volume and 20 percent of the value for 2009 as opposed to 13 percent of the volume and 26 percent of the value for 2008. This is an increase of 14 percent in market share volume and a decrease of 24 percent in market share value from 2008 to 2009.

2004-2009 Market Overview

Out of 9,634 transactions tracked by Berkery, Noyes between 2004 and 2009 we determined the aggregate enterprise values paid for transactions, where the values of 3,661 were disclosed, to be $720.13 billion. Based on known enterprise values, using a logarithmic scale, we project values of 5,973 undisclosed transactions to be $144.78 billion for a combined total of $864.91 billion over the past six years.

Berkery, Noyes determined that nearly one-third of companies sold between 2004 and 2009 had an enterprise value between $4 million to $33 million.

Transactions receiving transaction values greater than $160 million garnered the higher median enterprise value multiple of 3.10 times revenue which is 88 percent greater than companies who received transaction values of $10 to $20 million which captured a median transaction value of 1.65 times revenue.