KPMG says nine in 10 Canadian CEOs are considering making an acquisition within the next three years to help boost their company’s growth.
A pair of surveys by the firm released Monday show four in 10 Canadian CEOs are planning major deals, while nearly three quarters of small- and medium-sized businesses are considering acquisitions.
KPMG says Canadian chief executives see mergers and acquisitions as their second-most important growth strategy in the next three years, behind organic growth.
Meanwhile, smaller businesses rely less on these deals as a top growth strategy, but many are still planning to make acquisitions in the coming years, and four per cent are seeking to be acquired.
John Cho, national leader for KPMG in Canada’s deal advisory practice, says recent interest rate cuts by Canadian and U.S. central banks, plus lower inflation, are “breathing life” back into the merger and acquisition market.
He says with more confidence in the air, 2025 could be one of the busiest years in quite some time for mergers and acquisitions.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2024.