Big jump in M&A activity as CRH and C&C lead way in €1.7bn deals

SIGNIFICANT transactions featuring the likes of CRH, C&C, Greenstar and Icon helped boost Irish merger/ acquisition (M&A) activity in the second quarter of the year, with 20 more deals than during the first three months of the year.

Some 55 deals were recorded during the second quarter of the year compared with 37 in the first quarter, according to the latest edition of NCB Stockbrokers’ M&A Tracker Survey published yesterday.

While activity during the three months was significantly boosted by 13 bolt-on acquisitions made by building materials giant, CRH; the €300m sale of C&C’s spirits and liqueurs division to William Grant & Sons; the €162m takeover of Greenstar’s UK division by Biffa Waste Management and Icon’s acquisition of Swiss group, Timaq Medical Imaging also played a part.