Economics is one of the foundations of civilization. Companies are trying to find their niche and offer products or services to customers. A successful firm generates profits and exhibits successful growth. This is similar to normal nature, where the more successful beast defeats the less successful one. As a result, profitable companies acquire unprofitable, unpromising companies. This is called the mergers and acquisitions market. Today, the global M&A landscape is a vast ocean where hundreds of thousands of representatives live. Every year, transactions worth trillions of dollars are concluded here.
According to statistics, in 2023, more than 100,000 transactions were concluded with a total value of about 5 trillion dollars. The Dutch economy is also very active. Experts note positive M&A market dynamics here, which is a good sign compared to 2022. In this review, we will talk about the main trends and future of the M & A segment.
Current State of the M&A Market in the Netherlands
Today the Dutch market is going through a positive phase. This can be safely said when comparing the situation with the indicators for 2022. During this period, the segment was highly turbulent and uncertain. Many companies focused on cooperation with Russia and eastern countries. were forced to face difficulties and losses. Many companies ceased to exist, declaring bankruptcy.
Yes, this also contributed to some acquisitions of enterprises, but the main trends were negative. The fact is that large players should have taken risks and made large investments at this time. Segment leaders preferred to take a wait-and-see approach and understand the main changes in the geopolitical situation. Also, they looked at the government’s actions and additional measures, including subsidies, changes in the tax policy of the key rate, etc. You can read detailed information about this period and changes in the article.
Key Factors Influencing Dutch M&A Market
The economy is also a highly flexible structure influenced by various factors. In this review section, we want to discuss the criteria that impact the M&A NL segment:
- Economic policy. The state created more favorable conditions for transactions in this segment. We are talking about reducing the key rate, additional subsidies for business and stabilizing inflation. All this allows companies to be more confident in the future and decide on major transactions.
- Protection of interests. Today, the issue of protecting agricultural production is acute in the country. A number of additional duties have been adopted for foreign goods, which should stimulate local farmers and generate additional profit for the treasury. All this can also positively affect the economy and the M&A segment.
- Technological tools. Thanks to modern technologies, auditing an enterprise and negotiating with management has become simpler and more convenient. Experts also note the availability of various analytical programs and date rooms, contributing to faster transaction conclusions.
The mergers and acquisitions market has yet to achieve stable growth but is already showing a positive trend. This trend should continue over the next few years as the geopolitical stabilizes.
The Impact of Regulatory Changes and Economic Policies
Also, it is important to pay attention not only to the economic aspect of the M&A segment but also to the legal one. M&A transactions in the Netherlands are usually organized as a transfer of shares or assets of Dutch companies. The Dutch Civil Code (DCC) sets out the basic principles governing these transactions. Employee interests are important in Dutch M&A, especially in technology M&A Amsterdam.
In companies with more than 50 employees, there is often a (central) works council with additional strategic decision-making powers. These powers are regulated by the Works Councils Act and the Merger Code of the Social and Economic Council (SER 2015). All M&A transactions in the Netherlands are subject to the supervision of Dutch or European competition rules and regulations. If the transaction exceeds certain thresholds, the parties must obtain permission from the Dutch Consumer and Markets Authority or the European Commission.
Comparative Analysis with Other Markets
The actions of the Dutch government can be considered successful in the context of current realities. Statistics say that about 71% of executives plan to conclude M&A deals within the next two years. Also, more than half of directors (56%) note the emergence of more convenient and technological tools for concluding transactions.
Germany can be considered an example of an irresponsible approach to the economy. A negative trend and a decline in production are visible here. This is due to an increase in the price of electricity and the lack of subsidies for many categories of producers. As a result, dozens of companies are forced to curtail production, and the segment of M&A transactions decreased by almost 30% compared to 2021.
Future Predictions and Emerging M&A Trends
However, 2024 should still be considered a year of cautious optimism. The local economy has many potential problems: labor shortages and a need for more widely available low-interest loan programs for businesses. The economy will have to struggle with some problems. We believe that large companies must show modest growth and demonstrate resilience. The M&A transactions segment will increase as this segment becomes more convenient, digital and responsive. Many experts also confirm these forecasts in their analysis.
Opportunities and Challenges Ahead
A successful business must adapt to modern realities and anticipate trends. Yes, analysts predict moderate growth in the M&A segment, considering many factors, including inflation Holland. However, it is important to prepare properly and use all opportunities.
We recommend that you pay attention to the modern technology market. Here you will find many useful programs and data rooms that allow you to conduct a quick audit. Thanks to such data rooms, you can quickly receive all the necessary documentation, including the company’s current financial condition, reporting for a certain period, trend analysis, organizing meetings with representatives and partners, etc. The ability to react correctly and quickly to a situation is an important advantage and one of the key success factors. In this case, you can get the maximum from making deals and growing the M&A segment.