Analysis of M&A Trends and Outlook for 2024

M&A continues to be a significant part of corporate strategy with companies investing in M&A outperforming those who don't. The positive macroeconomic environment, with stabilizing evaluations and positive outlooks from executives, is expected to drive a rebound in M&A in 2024. The substantial amount of dry powder in the system, totaling over $5 trillion, indicates a readiness among executives to deploy capital. Furthermore, there is a shift in focus towards using M&A for accessing capabilities and additional services, rather than just achieving scale. This trend, along with regulatory incentives and regional market dynamics, contributes to the optimism that M&A activity will see a surge in 2024 as dry powder re-enters the marketplace.