The state of M&A: Are there more buyers or sellers?

The answer to this question can dramatically affect the level of M&A activity in the industry, according to expert David Lykken. So, what's the verdict?

The state of M&A: Are there more buyers or sellers?
By David Lykken
Special to MPA


When we discussed mergers and acquisitions last week on my Lykken on Lending radio show, I asked my business partner Chuck Klein the question that everyone thinking about M&A really wants to know. Right now, in today's market, are there more buyers or sellers? The answer to this question can dramatically affect the level of M&A activity in the industry. So, what's the verdict?

According to Chuck, we've more or less come out of a seller's market and the playing field has become a lot more level. A year or two ago, there were definitely a lot more buyers than sellers and sellers, therefore, had the upper hand. Today, however, expectations have become a lot more realistic and we're seeing more M&A activity as the proportion of buyers to sellers has begun to stabilize.

With the amount of buyers and sellers in the market being relatively equal now, it's a good time to start thinking about a potential merger or acquisition--regardless of what side of the coin you're on. Even if you have no intention on changing your business, it couldn't hurt to look. There are a lot of people discussing M&As right now, and you never know what synergies you might find.

A regular contributor on CNBC and Fox Business News, David also hosts a successful weekly radio program called “Lykken On Lending” that is heard each Monday at noon (Central Standard Time) by thousands of mortgage professional. Recently, he started producing a one-minute video called “Today’s Mortgage Minute" that appears on hundreds of television, radio and newspaper websites daily across the United States.