Global M&A activity to pick up, but not in Hungary

Key financial indicators suggest that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are likely to pick up worldwide, according to consulting firm KPMG. The company's Global M&A Predictor notes that an increase in corporate forward price-to-earnings ratios over the past year, as well as expected lower corporate-debt ratios in the coming year, may portend greater M&A activity in the near future.

M&A deals are not expected to increase in Hungary, however. According to Tamás Simonyi, KPMG Hungary's director of corporate finance, the total value and volume of transactions remain low, with one single deal, the government's acquisition of oil and gas company MOL, making up over 50% of the previous year's M&A activity in Hungary. The M&A market will remain stagnant within the entire Central and Eastern Europe region, with only Poland expected to see an increase, the company says.

Broken down by sector, KPMG predicts growing M&A activity globally in the healthcare, utilities, telecommunications and consumer staple goods sectors, while they see little appetite for M&A deals for non-essential consumer goods, industrials, and technology.

The company also notes that the mergers and acquisitions market is rebounding after having fallen over the past half-year.