As of August 2024, a total of 2,008 mergers and acquisitions were recorded, both announced and closed, for an aggregate amount of US$ 52,997 million, according to TTR.

Once again, the Latin American M&A market registered a decline. According to the report by TTR Data in collaboration with Datasite and AON, up to the third quarter of 2024, a total of 2,008 mergers and acquisitions were recorded, between announced and closed, for an aggregate value of US$ 52,997 million.

These figures represent a 20% decrease in the number of transactions and an 11% decrease in their value, compared to the figures recorded in the third quarter of 2023.

As of the third quarter of 2024, a total of 138 private equity transactions have been recorded, of which 47 have an aggregate non-confidential value of US$ 4,593 million. This represents a 7% decrease in the number of transactions and a 9% decrease in their value, compared to the same period in 2023.

In the venture capital segment, 477 transactions were completed up to the third quarter of the year, of which 393 have an aggregate non-confidential value of US$ 3,425 million, which represents a 35% decrease in the number of transactions and a 21% drop in the capital mobilized, in year-on-year terms.

As of the third quarter of 2024, a total of 363 asset acquisition transactions have been recorded , of which 166 have an aggregate non-confidential value of US$ 9,713 million. This represents a 2% decrease in the number of transactions and an 18% increase in their value, compared to the same period in 2023.

In 2024, by number of transactions, Brazil led the ranking of the most active countries in the region with 1,169 deals (a 25% decrease) and an 11% decrease in the capital mobilized (US$ 29.72 billion), year-on-year. Mexico follows on the list, with 253 transactions (a 10% decrease) and a 10% increase in their value (US$ 13.197 billion), compared to the same period last year, making it the only country with positive results in its capital mobilized in the region.

Chile, for its part, rose in the ranking, with 240 transactions (a 21% drop) and a 32% decrease in capital mobilized (US$ 7.827 billion). Colombia, for its part, fell in the ranking, with 192 transactions (a 7% drop) and a 14% decrease in capital mobilized (US$ 2.868 billion).

“Brazil leads M&A operations in Latin America, given its continental size and its extremely diverse business matrix, such as agribusiness, infrastructure, energy and technology. However, Chile and Mexico have been collaborating extremely positively to increase the number of deals in the region, mainly through transactions with sovereign funds, private equity and pension funds. Argentina is also seeking its economic recovery, which could bring international investors closer.” Meanwhile, the 150 transactions that took place in Argentina represent an 8% decrease in the number of transactions and a 3% decrease in their value (US$ 2.512 billion), compared to the same period last year. Peru, for its part, has registered a 55% decrease in its mobilized capital (US$ 2,448 million), but 124 transactions (an increase of 15%), which makes the country the only one with positive results in terms of the number of transactions in the region, in interannual terms," says Pedro Costa, leader of M&A and transactional solutions at AON .

In the cross-border area, the investment appetite of Latin American companies abroad stands out until the third quarter of 2024, especially in North America and Europe, where 54 and 52 transactions have been carried out, respectively.

For their part, the companies that have carried out the most strategic transactions in Latin America come from North America, with 308, Europe (220), and Asia (70).