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Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) that had any MENA involvement totaled $109.1 billion throughout 2021, a 57 percent increase from last year and the third year where any MENA involvement M&A volumes surpassed $100 billion, according to newly released Refinitiv data.
A total of 1,141 deals was recorded in 2021, a 40 percent increase from 2020 and the highest annual total since records began in 1980.
M&A involving a MENA target reached $72.9 billion, making it the second-highest total since records began in 1980 and the strongest year of the number of deals with 863 deals in 2021.
Inbound M&A reached record levels with $45.4 billion of M&A activity in 2021, up 88 percent and the highest level since records began in 1980, according to Refinitiv data.
On the other hand, outbound M&A totaled $30.2 billion in 2021, up 198 percent from 2020 and a six-year high. The largest M&A deal in the MENA region of 2021 was Aramco Gas Pipelines Co in a deal worth $15.5 billion lease and leaseback agreement for its gas pipeline network.
Saudi Arabia was the most targeted nation with $27.3 billion in M&A activity, equivalent to half of target M&A recorded in the region.
Energy and Power was the most active sector with $38.8 billion in deal activity, representing a 189 percent increase from last year.
In terms of bank participation, JP Morgan topped the M&A league table with any MENA involvement in 2021 with $43.3 billion in related activity or a 40 percent share of the market.
Goldman Sachs came second with a 37 percent share of the market, Refinitiv data showed.
(Reporting by Brinda Darasha; editing by Seban Scaria)
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