The M&A activity in Norway reached record high levels in 2022, surpassing two transactions every business day

Summary

The number of transactions in the Norwegian market for 2022 showed a slight increase compared 2021, which was already at historical high activity levels. Despite roaming uncertainties across the broader market, significantly higher activity levels in the last two years represents a solid foundation for future M&A.

The Norwegian M&A market was in 2022 a tale of two halves, with the first half continuing the momentum from 2021, while the second half slowed down as uncertain market conditions materialized.

In this report, we have broken down and analyzed the constituents of the development in activity levels in the Norwegian M&A market. We have looked closer at sector distribution, buyer types, and cross border transactions.

Despite the downturn caused by current market uncertainties and geopolitical tension, the number of transactions per quarter is still significantly higher than what we observed in pre-pandemic years. The overall picture is that business owners increasingly regard M&A as an effective means to create value. Buyers show a willingness to plan beyond the uncertainties and pay attractively for those companies that are well positioned. For sellers, the uncertain market conditions mean that getting the deal execution right is more important than ever. Nikolai Lunde, Managing Partner at Oaklins Norway