Member Article

The results of Dykema's Annual Mergers & Acquisitions Outlook Survey are in! This annual survey tracks the marketplace to gauge the direction of the M&A market and economy for the coming year.

As with previous installments of the survey, our firm canvassed leading company executives and outside advisors in the M&A space to ask them to share their observations and insights into how the U.S. economy and domestic and global matters will impact the M&A market. Respondents expressed the highest level of optimism for the M&A market in the 15-year history of the firm’s survey.

“Where U.S. M&A activity and the broader economy are headed appears to depend on whom you ask,” said Thomas Vaughn, co-leader of Dykema’s Mergers & Acquisitions practice. “About one-third of our respondents this year feel bullish, bearish or neutral both on the M&A outlook and the broader economy. That’s unusual, but it also means that two-thirds of respondents still believe things will improve or stay the same for M&A activity and for the broader economy.”

“Given all the recession talk in the last few months, the level of pessimism isn’t really very high,” said Stephen Sayre, co-leader of Dykema’s Mergers & Acquisitions practice. “There are clearly concerns about trade tensions with China and U.S. political uncertainty – especially with a presidential election next year – but with consumer confidence still relatively high and the U.S. economy looking fundamentally strong, there’s no sense that the sky is falling.”

Learn more about marketplace expectations that may determine the direction of M&A for the next 12 months by clicking here or contacting a member of our Mergers & Acquisitions practice.