Small businesses looking abroad for merger and acquisition opportunities

A SIGNIFICANT number of small to medium-sized privately-owned businesses here expect to be involved in merger and acquisition activity (M&A) over the next few years.

According to a new report into the attitudes and outlooks of Irish private companies, by IBI Corporate Finance, almost 30% of the sector here expects to see some M&A activity within the next three years.

Interestingly, the mindset of these companies — businesses that are family or otherwise privately-owned with an annual turnover of around €150 million — has changed in the last couple of years.