Download PDFJanuary 2022
Market Update: IT Services & Software – Western Europe Q4 2021
The fourth quarter of 2021 closed with a drop in deal volume compared to the previous quarter but recorded a robust 59% Q4 YoY growth. Similarly, the M&A transaction value accelerated at a 17% YoY growth, establishing a new all-time record. Traditionally, the U.S. has led the way in terms of M&A activity, but 2021 has seen a very noticeable uptick in the number of transactions involving Western European buyers and sellers, including two of the biggest deals of the year highlighted in this update. Corporate/strategic buyers dominated Q4 with 53% of deals compared to PEG’s taking advantage of the low-interest-rate environment prior to the forecasted increase in interest rates and worldwide economic inflation. Sellers were also motivated by higher multiples and strong optimism in the market.
The IT services & software sector continues to drive the M&A activity in Western Europe. The top Western European Economic forces look ahead to 2022’s top Tech trends including NFT’s, the Metaverse, further digital transformation, and advanced cloud computing platforms. The verticals that characterized the quarter also extended to Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and SaaS.
7MA has completed numerous M&A transactions for companies with outsourced operations and/or delivery centers in western Europe and has developed unparalleled deal expertise and knowledge of the industry trends, valuation trends, and most active strategic and financial buyers. Please contact Kristina Sergueeva, Ilia Ulianchuk, or Lucas Cerbelli if you would like to learn more about IT Services & Software across western Europe.
