For years, Davis+Gilbert LLP has been advising on acquisitions of public relations and integrated marketing communications firms, providing insight on trends in the M&A market and publishing data about acquisition activity. In its inaugural Public Relations Industry M&A Activity Report, the firm provides an in-depth analysis of the public deals completed in the 2019 calendar year (based on publicly available data) and the market activity and trends in the early part of 2020.
Overall, the 2019 data showed a robust PR M&A market, with an increase in the number of transactions being completed, more buyers than ever completing transactions and a surge in larger deals.
Davis+Gilbert’s report further reveals that the number of deals involving the acquisition of firms with revenue greater than $25 million doubled in 2019, compared to 2018 and 2017. The firm attributes this trend to year over year organic growth at many firms, coupled with the increased popularity of “tuck-under” acquisitions before the consideration of a sale.