The M&A, more and more frequent nowadays, are mainly for Italian companies a competitive advantage tool.
When talking about Merger means fledged union between this operation and the merging companies cease their legal existence to merge their assets into a new company. When talking about Acquisition it refers to that form of merger in which a company (the acquiring) retains its own legal identity annexing other companies that cease to exist; in this case therefore not a new company was born.
The Italian entrepreneurial system is characterized, as always, by the presence of a significant number of SMEs, which, thanks to their small size, they are always well adapted to market changes. Today, the market and economic environment are totally changed and these characteristics typical of Italian businesses, no longer guarantee the same result.
The Italian market for M&A, in this 2016, is growing, although the Brexit cyclone threatens to wipe out some negotiations, especially large ones. According to KPMG in the first half, the market M & A in Italy, has recorded 298 operations to an estimated value of 25.3 billion euro. These are important data, compared to the first half of 2015 recorded an increase of 47%. The result is definitely influenced by the impact of a few big deal but it is also important to highlight that the achieved result is the best since 2008. Among the most significant negotiations we have been acquiring Italcementi by Heidelberg and that of Rhiag by LKQ, proving once again the interest on the market, foreign investors to Italy. As it regards the Italian acquisitions abroad are counted 48 operations, one for all the acquisition, by Lavazza, the French Carte Noire.
The growth in size of SMEs is a strategic imperative for Italian companies, looking to create a competitive advantage. It is precisely for this reason that today becomes more important for the Italian SMEs, focus on growth through acquisitions, focusing on M&A transactions.