Mergers & Acquisitions

Across the financial services sector, growth, in all forms, is firmly back on the agenda. As margins continue to tighten, the impetus for further consolidation is likely to strengthen as organisations seek to build scale, improve volume and exploit opportunities for cost-saving synergies.

Focus on restructuring: The drivers shaping the financial services sector, a study carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers in partnership with the Economist Intelligence Unit, found that more than 90 percent of financial services executives believed that restructuring would be 'important, very important or integral' in helping them meet their goals.

Winning investor backing for large scale 'visionary' acquisitions continues to prove difficult in today's risk-sensitive market environment. As a result, many institutions are looking to expand incrementally or focusing on particular products and services.

Securing investor support is likely to require exacting valuation, due diligence and communication. Investor scrutiny will only be heightened by the move to International Financial Reporting Standards which will make it easier for the market to judge the relative success or failure of any particular deal.

How PwC Can Help You

PricewaterhouseCoopers has a network of local, regional and global specialists who can help organisations maximise the returns on a company's growth strategy while mitigating its risks. Services include due diligence, merger benefit analysis, finance, transaction and post-integration support.