According to M&A Index Poland by Navigator Capital & FORDATA, as many as  229 M&A transactions were carried out on the Polish market in 2020, which represents a 27 percent increase in activity compared to the same period last year.

“In the analyzed period the transaction with the highest disclosed value was the acquisition of one of the leading Polish mobile operators, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange Play Communications, by the French market leader, Free Mobile operator, Iliad SA. Thanks to the transaction, the merged companies advanced from 9th to 6th place in terms of the number of customers in Europe. The acquirer plans to further develop Play, with crucial assumptions concerning the maintenance of the company's competitive position on the Polish market and enter the fixed-line services market in order to present a more attractive and comprehensive offer.

“The last year in the M&A market clearly reflected the situation in the economy and highlighted and strengthened investment trends. The Media/IT/Telecom sector, which is undergoing exceptionally dynamic growth due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has consistently played a dominant role among the acquired entities over the past quarters. The high consolidation potential of the industry, noticed by investors, resulted in the acquisition of nearly 50 entities operating in the TMT area, which accounted for approximately 22 percent of the total activity on the Polish M&A market,“ Artur Wilk, Manager in Navigator Capital, commented.

“The subject of the global economic slowdown in 2020 was overshadowed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the serious damage to the economy, the coronavirus has not limited the number of M&A transactions in Poland. In the past year, this number increased significantly compared to the previous year - 229 against 179 transactions - although not due to the effects of the lockdown. It is a consequence of, among others, the rapid development of the IT industry, financial services, and renewable energy. TMT industry was unstoppable in the year of the pandemic. In 2020, the demand for companies offering IT and media services increased from 20 percent in 2019 to 22 percent in 2020,” Alicja Kukla-Kowalska, Head of Sales EMEA FORDATA, added.

The M&A Index Poland report is a position that has become a permanent fixture in the calendar of the industry summaries in Poland. The reports are prepared quarterly by a consulting firm Navigator Capital and FORDATA,  a leader in the field of IT solutions that support M&A transactions. 

(WBJ)