Small business M&A transactions drop precipitously

According to the State of the M&A Markets, First Quarter 2009 Update, compared to 4Q08, transaction levels decreased in all valuation segments except deals with values above $250 million. The most dramatic decrease was in the $50 to $100 million-valuation range, which dropped 52.1%. When 1Q09 is compared to 1Q08, deal activity is down at all levels, with the most significant decrease [again] taking place in the $50 to $100 million-valuation segment. During this period, the number of transactions dropped by 70.4%.