
In a year punctuated by a number of significant initial public offerings (IPOs), four acquisitions were found to be worth ?500m or more.
Research compiled by ICON Corporate Finance has pulled together the biggest UK technology M&A targets for 2014 alongside similar trends on a global scale. Second on the list after the Qualcomm acquisition of Cambridge Silicon Radio, which produces silicon chips for wireless communications, was the ?725m take-private deal involving Advanced Computer Software. Vista Equity stepped in as a buyer for the Vin Murcia-Led business and brought about the end of its Alternative Investment Market (AIM) listing. ICON noted an ?unprecedented rush? to complete deals before the end of 2014, spread across sub-sectors including data analytics, financial technology and health. ?Overseas acquirers have been a feature of the market in the past few years but private equity also remains very active in larger deals,? explained ICON head of M&A Brain Parker. ?We also se increased confidence amongst UK technology buyers (both listed and private equity owned) who have been behind the spurt of deals at the end of 2014.? Also in the top ten list was Daisy Group, a unified communications provider that was bought by its management for ?500m, and computer game software venture NaturalMotion ? bought by Zynga for ?318m.Top UK technology M&A targets:
- Buyer: Qualcomm Target: Cambridge Silicon Radio Price: ?1.5bn
- Buyer: Vista Equity Target: Advanced Computer Software Price: ?725m
- Buyer: Access Industries Target: Perform Group Price: ?601.2m
- Buyer: Tosca/Penta Target: Daisy Group Price: ?500m
- Buyer: FIS Target: Clear2Pay Price: ?375m
- Buyer: Cinven Target: Northgate Public Sector Price: ?375m
- Buyer: Zynga Target: NaturalMotion Price: ?318m
- Buyer: Montagu Target: Open International Price: ?300m
- Buyer: Cirrus Logic Target: Wolfson Micro Price: ?291m
- Buyer: Solera Target: CAP Automotive Price: ?288m
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