The level of merger and acquisition (M&A) activity among Swiss small and medium sized companies (SMEs) slowed in the first half of the year due to economic and geopolitical challenges.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Português
pt
Incerteza econômica afeta aquisições de pequenas empresas
Rising interest rates have made companies less willing to take on debt to drive expansion while the strong franc made Swiss firms a less attractive proposition for foreign buyers.
Total M&A activity fell from 133 transactions in the first half of 2022 to 109 in the corresponding time frame this year – a fall of 18%.
The strength of the franc has changed the tide of takeover transactions, with more Swiss companies taking the plunge abroad than foreign firms splashing cash in Switzerland.
Swiss firms opted mainly for Europe (67%) or the United States (26%) when expanding their businesses through takeovers or mergers.
“Target companies abroad are attractive to Swiss investors due to the strong Swiss franc, while Swiss companies are becoming more expensive for foreign investors,” stated Deloitte on ThursdayExternal link.
Takeovers of Swiss industrial companies particularly declined, with the greatest interest from foreign buyers being shown in the IT and healthcare sectors. The majority of buyers were headquartered in neighbouring countries.
Deloitte believes M&A activity among SMEs will pick up in the second half of the year as the shock waves of banking collapses in Switzerland and the US die down.
A Deloitte survey of SME financial directors found that 59% were more optimistic about conditions for the rest of the year while only 8% feared worsening conditions.
More
More
Swiss start-up funding quadruples within five years
This content was published on
The volume of venture capital that helps aspiring companies get off the ground in Switzerland has quadrupled to CHF4 billion since 2017.
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Swiss central bank chief rejects holding bitcoin in reserves
This content was published on
Swiss National Bank (SNB) President Martin Schlegel rejects the idea that the central bank should hold part of its reserves in bitcoin, as proposed by a people's initiative.
The legal changes that come into force in Switzerland on March 1
This content was published on
On March 1, a number of legal changes come into force relating to self-driving cars, increased imports of grain and lower electricity usage costs. Here is an overview.
Swiss president condemns Russian aggression and calls for peace in Ukraine
This content was published on
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter has reaffirmed Switzerland's commitment to a "just and lasting" peace in Ukraine, while condemning Russian aggression.
Swiss organisations unhappy with species protection funding
This content was published on
Swiss environmental organisations consider the financing plan adopted at the World Conference on Nature in Rome to be inadequate.
Swiss researchers make progress on malaria vaccine
This content was published on
A Swiss research team has come one step closer to developing an effective malaria vaccine. They have genetically modified the malaria parasite so that it cannot cause malaria.
Peace Prize launched to mark centenary of Locarno Treaties
This content was published on
To mark the 100th anniversary of the Locarno Treaties, the Swiss city of Locarno has launched a Peace Prize in collaboration with the Locarno Film Festival. This will be presented for the first time in August.
Swiss-built robot changes shape to adapt to terrain
This content was published on
Scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) have developed a bioinspired robot capable of changing shape according to its environment.
The Swiss start-ups embracing the cooperative model
This content was published on
The cooperative business model is a rare choice for Swiss entrepreneurs. SWI swissinfo.ch visits three start-ups that are bucking the trend.
This content was published on
Addressing bosses of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in St Gallen, Joseph Deiss promised that by January he would come up with ideas about how to free these firms from the “jungle” of bureaucracy. Also at the meeting was the economics editor Beat Kappeler. In an interview beforehand with swissinfo, he said Swiss SMEs…
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.