Conditions ripe for Swiss company takeovers and mergers
Rock bottom interest rates and excess cash sloshing around Swiss companies saw a three-fold increase in the value of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), rising to CHF170 billion ($186 billion) last year.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/mga
العربية
ar
الظروف مهيئة لعمليات الاستحواذ والاندماج بين الشركات السويسرية
The corporate shopping spree was led by the pharmaceutical and life science sectors, which have seen increased business during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The biggest deal of 2021 saw Novartis relinquish its stake in pharmaceutical rival Roche, which was worth CHF21 billion.
The pharmaceutical and life science sectors saw M&A deal activity surge from CHF6 billion in 2020 to CHF56 billion last year, comprising four of the ten largest corporate deals.
The technology, media and telecommunications industries also saw increased activity.
The sectors “have been very consistent in pursuing innovation over the past two pandemic years, and we expect that to continue this year with well-targeted investments,” said Roger van den Heuvel of consultancy company KPMG, which compiled the report.
Most transactions (46%) involved Swiss firms acquiring stakes in foreign companies, double the volume of overseas corporations taking over Swiss counterparts.
This content was published on
Most Swiss people are planning at least one holiday this year in spite of rising costs and inflation, according to a study.
Italian busted smuggling alcohol in milk and shampoo bottles into Switzerland
This content was published on
An Italian motorhome driver has been caught trying to smuggle 135 litres of pure alcohol disguised in various bottles into Switzerland.
Swiss debate double-barrelled names for spouses and registered partners
This content was published on
A reform to the country’s naming laws could permit married couples and registered partners to have a double-barrelled surname again in future.
SWISS CEO admits mistakes were made during pandemic
This content was published on
At the end of his tenure, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) CEO Dieter Vranckx is not all positive, admitting mistakes were made.
Swiss firms in record number of mergers and acquisitions
This content was published on
The number of merger and acquisition deals involving Swiss companies hit a record high in 2018, according to a report by consultancy firm KPMG.
Swiss government rejects takeover restrictions on Chinese firms
This content was published on
The Swiss government has dismissed talk of introducing investment controls on Chinese companies despite requests from parliament to examine the risks.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.