Sharp increase in Finnish corporate acquisitions abroad
|
|
Acquisitions of foreign companies by Finnish buyers have increased sharply. In the first quarter of this year, 33 such deals have been closed, which is 120% more than at the same time last year. Steven Tseng, a partner in the consultancy and accountancy company KPMG, expects the trend to continue.
His view is consistent with that of several other experts. Corporate purchases have been most frequent in sectors producing consumer goods.
There was a quiet period in acquisitions ever since the technology boom petered out at the beginning of the decade.
Steven Tseng says that all Finnish corporate purchases declined steadily from 2001, when there were 582 such deals. Last year there were just 350.
Finnish corporate purchases from abroad also declined during the same period, but rebounded considerably from the beginning of this year.
There has also been a considerable increase in the number of Finnish companies bought by foreign companies. In 2002 there were 75 such purchases, and last year there were 106.
In all Nordic Countries the total number of corporate purchases worth more than EUR 10 million exceeded the record set in 1999, and reached 57. However, the combined value of the deals still fell below the record year.
Tseng says that Finnish companies have made most of their purchases in Sweden, the UK, and Russia. A year ago, at the top of the list of purchases were companies in the UK, Germany, and Estonia.
Finnish companies have been bought this year by Swedish, British, and Norwegian corporations. A year ago, the main buyers were from Sweden, the United States, and the UK.
Tseng predicts that in the future Finnish companies will seek growth by buying more companies from outside the Nordic region.
Helsingin Sanomat
|
| 14.4.2005 - TODAY |
 Sharp increase in Finnish corporate acquisitions abroad |
|
