2015 is now officially a record year for global mergers and acquisitions, following this morning’s mega-merger announcement between Pfizer Inc. (PFE) and Allergan (AGN).
Thomson Reuters reports that global M&A stands at $4.2 billion, besting the previous top of $4.1 billion from 2007 (i.e., just before the financial crisis). It is only the second time in history that there has been more than $4 billion in M&A activity, and the threshold was crossed earlier in 2015 than in 2007. Moreover, 2015 also has played host to a record-breaking number of deals valued at $5 billion or more.
It also is worth noting that the Pfizer/Allergan combination would be the second-largest merger on record, following Vodafone Airtouch’s $202.8 billion purchase of Mannesmann in 1999. It also helps further obliterate existing pharma and healthcare M&A stats:
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