Transaction value was disclosed for 23 deals, resulting in a disclosure rate of 38%, down by 6 percentage points compared with the first half of 2013.
Unlike Romania, the mergers and acquisitions market in most of countries in Central and Southeastern Europe was subject to an increase, with a total number of 629 deals.
In the first six months, the Romanian transaction market was dominated by domestic transactions with 66% of total number of deals, while deals closed by strategic investors represented 49% of total deals, which is 10% lower on the year.
The financial investors represent 51% out of the total transactions, which indicate a growing easiness for PEs to match their portfolio in Romania, in H1 2013 the percentage being of only 41%.
The IT sector was the most active target industry by number of transactions, with nine deals in the first six months, followed by media and telecom (with seven deals) and services (seven deals). In terms of value, the largest transactions occurred in the energy &mining industry ($29 million), followed by transportation sector ($17.3 million) and financial-banking services ($16.7 million).
In the first six months of 12014, out of a total 19 inbound transactions, the largest number came equally from Canada, Luxembourg and Germany each with 11%, while in the first six months of 2013 the most active inbound investor came from Poland (15%). USA is the only continuously inbound investor country present in Romania in the last 2 years, with 5% of the total investments, compared with 12% last year.
“As the most important trend in the market, we have noted the consolidation of the Energy sector, with the main focus on the renewable segment. The photovoltaic and the small hydropower plants covered half of the deals from the Energy sector closed in the first semester of 2014,“ EY said in the report.
The second trend comes from the banking and financial services, where it has been noted the consolidation of the financial sector, with major transactions in the banking field and insurance, but also covering other areas including leasing, according to the report.