With the dust settling after the referendum the only certainty is that the uncertainty will continue for a while yet; which type of Brexit, when, how etc. ? In the general M&A market this led to a clear slowdown in activity the third quarter of 2016 while investors on both sides of the Channel were trying to process the shock result.
At the same time uncertainty offers opportunities. The pound is low, helping British exporters and companies competing with imported products, while also making investment in British companies relatively cheaper. The cheap funding available due to the current policies of the European Central Bank also helps. If you believe in the British economy longer-term and you want to gain a foothold there, this may well be the time to do it.
Another factor contributing to the opportunity is that despite significant M&A activity in the British label industry in recent years, there are still a large number of companies unofficially, semi-officially or in a few cases officially up for sale. This is being driven both by strategic considerations due to the heavy consolidation that has taken place and by the simple fact that many owners are nearing the retirement age without any clear successor lined up.
Are you seeing the threat or the opportunity ?
At the same time uncertainty offers opportunities. The pound is low, helping British exporters and companies competing with imported products, while also making investment in British companies relatively cheaper. The cheap funding available due to the current policies of the European Central Bank also helps. If you believe in the British economy longer-term and you want to gain a foothold there, this may well be the time to do it.
Another factor contributing to the opportunity is that despite significant M&A activity in the British label industry in recent years, there are still a large number of companies unofficially, semi-officially or in a few cases officially up for sale. This is being driven both by strategic considerations due to the heavy consolidation that has taken place and by the simple fact that many owners are nearing the retirement age without any clear successor lined up.
Are you seeing the threat or the opportunity ?
