LATIN AMERICA
TTR Deal Tracker is a monthly email update identifying M&A trends in Latin America and compiling YTD rankings of leading financial and legal advisors
BRAZIL: Pharma deals more than double
The number of transactions in Brazil’s pharmaceutical industry grew by 117% in 1Q16 over the same quarter last year, according to TTR data (www.TTRecord.com).
Foreign investment in the space also grew in real terms with eight of 13 total acquisitions in Brazilian pharma companies in the first three months of 2016 led by overseas buyers compared to five of six in the corresponding period last year.
COLOMBIA: Inbound dealmaking on the rise
Acquisitions of Colombian companies by foreign bidders grew by 29% in 1Q16 compared to 1Q15, according to TTR data (www.TTRecord.com).
There were 17 inbound acquisitions between January and March 2015 compared to 22 in the corresponding period this year. Technology was the most sought after asset class for foreign buyers in 1Q16, meanwhile.
Latin America Ranking – 2016
Financial Advisory – Year to Date (YTD)
Banco Itaú leads TTR’s Latin America financial advisory ranking for the first three months of 2016 with nine transactions under its belt worth a combined USD 3.7bn, representing a 31% decline in volume and a 17% decline in aggregate deal value compared to its 13 deals together worth USD 4.4bn to the close of March 2015 when it also led the chart. Banco BTG Pactual ranks second, as it did a year ago, with six advisory mandates YTD together worth USD 1.3bn, compared to seven worth USD 7.6bn at the close of 1Q15, representing a 14% drop in volume and an 83% decline in aggregate value. Ártica Investimentos ranks third by volume with four transactions for the first three months of 2016 of undisclosed consideration. The firm did not rank among the top 10 by the close of 1Q15. BBVA ranks fourth with three deals together worth USD 1.9bn, tied with Banco Bradesco BBI by volume, which ranks fifth, its three deals worth USD 489m in aggregate. BBVA was not among the top 10 in 1Q15, while Bradesco fell from third for the corresponding period in 2015 when it advised on five deals worth USD 9.1bn, representing a 40% decline in volume and a 95% drop in combined deal value. Credit Suisse Group, Morgan Stanley, BAML, BR Partners and Vinci Partners have each advised on two transactions YTD and accordingly rank by relative aggregate value in the chart. Of the five, only Vinci Partners was among the top 10 a year ago when it advised on three deals together worth USD 22m to rank ninth.
Baker & McKenzie leads TTR’s Latin America legal advisory ranking for the first three months of 2016 with six mandates YTD together worth USD 112m. It also led the chart a year ago when it’d advised on eight deals worth USD 511m combined, representing a 25% dip in volume and a 78% decline in aggregate value. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton ranks second with five mandates YTD worth USD 810m combined. The US firm was not among the top 10 legal advisors in Latin America at the close of 1Q15. Jones Day fell one position in the ranking relative to its performance in the first three months of 2015 when it advised on six transactions to take second place. Its five deals YTD are worth USD 70m combined, representing a 68% decline in aggregate value from USD 219m. Clifford Chance added one deal to its performance of 1Q15 to climb from ninth to fourth in the chart with three mandates YTD worth a combined USD 575m. Davis & Gilbert, in fifth, also advised on three deals in 1Q16, in its case worth a combined USD 247m. The firm was not among the top 10 a year ago. Hogan Lovells, in sixth, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, in seventh, and Chadbourne & Parke, in eighth, have two deal mandates each in 1Q16. None of the three placed in the top 10 for the corresponding three-month period of 2015. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, in ninth, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, in tenth, were also absent from the top 10 at the close of 1Q15.
Financial Advisory – Year to Date (YTD)
Banco Itaú BBA leads TTR’s Brazil financial advisory ranking for the first three months of 2016 with seven advisory mandates together worth USD 1.3bn. Brazil’s top investment bank also led the chart a year ago when it’d advised on 11 deals together worth USD 4.2bn, representing a 36% decline by volume and a 70% drop in aggregate value. Banco BTG Pactual added one deal to its tally of a year ago to climb from third to second. Its six mandates YTD on deals worth a combined USD 1.3bn compare to five together worth USD 7.6bn a year ago. Banco Bradesco BBI fell from second to third in the ranking with three deals YTD worth USD 489m compared to five worth USD 9.1bn a year ago. Ártica Investimentos, in fourth, also advised on three transactions YTD, in its case of undisclosed consideration. Ártica was not among the top 10 financial advisors in Brazil at the close of 1Q15, nor was BR Partners, which ranks fifth with two mandates YTD on deals worth USD 951m combined. Vinci Partners, in sixth, also advised on two transactions in 1Q16, climbing from seventh place a year ago despite losing one madate relative to its three deals in the first three months of 2015. The combined value of Vinci’s deals jumped 1,187% from USD 22m in 1Q15 to USD 277m in 1Q16, meanwhile. Moelis & Company, in seventh, also advised on two transactions in Brazil in 1Q16, in its case worth a combined USD 247m. The US investment bank was not among the top 10 at the close of 1Q15. BAML, Banco de Portugal and Barclays Bank, in eighth, ninth and tenth, respectively, advised on one transaction each in Brazil for the first three months of 2016, none of the three having placed among the top 10 for the corresponding period in 2015.
Legal Advisory – Year to Date (YTD)
Souza Cescon Advogados leads TTR’s Brazil legal advisory ranking for the first three months of 2016 with 15 mandates worth a combined USD 2bn. Brazil’s top M&A firm YTD is up 36% by deal volume from third a year ago when it’d advised on 11 transactions worth a combined USD 3.6bn. TozziniFreire ranks second with 12 mandates YTD on deals worth a combined USD 322m, representing a 50% increase in volume and a 44% decline in aggregate value relative to its eight mandates on deals together worth USD 570m a year ago. Pinheiro Neto Advogados rose from seventh in 1Q15 to take third in 1Q16, increasing deal volume by two deals and aggregate transaction value by 461% from USD 271m to USD 1.5bn. Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados slid two positions in the ranking to place fourth relative to 1Q15, its deal volume down by two transactions, its aggregate value down by 92% from USD 7.8bn. Stocche, Forbes, Padis, Filizzola, Clapis, Passaro, Meyer e Refinetti Sociedade de Advogados ranks fifth, also with 10 mandates YTD, after not having placed among the top 10 in 1Q15. Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice Advogados led the ranking at the close of 1Q15, but has since fallen to sixth place, its deal volume down 47% and aggregate transaction value down 85% from USD 3.2bn. Lefosse Advogados, in seventh, was not among the top 10 for the corresponding period in 2015. Barbosa, Müssnich, Aragão fell from fourth in 1Q15 to eighth in 1Q16, down in volume by just two deals but in aggregate value by 96% from USD 7.8bn. Derraik & Menezes Advogados ranks ninth with seven transactions, Lobo & de Rizzo tenth with six. Neither of the trailing two were among the top 10 for the first three months of 2015.
Mexico Ranking – 2016
Financial Advisory – Year to Date (YTD)
BBVA leads TTR’s Mexico financial advisory ranking for the first three months of 2016 with two mandates YTD worth a combined USD 1.9bn, compared to just one for the corresponding period in 2015 worth USD 72m, when it placed fifth. Deutsche Bank follows in second, tied with JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley, all three having advised on the same transaction worth USD 1.9bn. PwC ranks fourth, also having advised on one transaction YTD, in its case of undisclosed consideration.
Galicia Abogados leads TTR’s Mexico legal advisory ranking in 1Q16 with three mandates on deals worth a combined USD 2.4bn, up from ninth a year ago when its sole transaction was worth USD 2.5bn. Santamarina y Steta Abogados climbed from fifth at the close of 1Q15 to take second for the first three months of 2016, also with three mandates, in its case worth a combined USD 1.9bn. Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez fell from first at the close of 1Q15 to take third, its sole mandate YTD on a deal worth USD 260m. Haynes Boone México advised on the same deal to tie for third, though it appears in fourth in the chart. Aziz & Kaye Abogados ranks fifth, also with a single advisory mandate YTD, in its case worth USD 80m. The firm did not place among the top 10 in 1Q15. Baker & McKenzie México is down one deal and off 21% by aggregate value, but rose from eighth to sixth in the chart nonetheless between 1Q15 and 1Q16. Echanove y Asociados, in seventh, Heather & Heather Abogados, in eighth and Kuri Breña, Sánchez Ugarte y Aznar in ninth, each advised on one deal in 1Q16, the three of them having been absent from the top 10 for the corresponding three-month period in 2015. Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, in tenth, fell from second place in 1Q15, its deal volume falling from six worth USD 1.3bn combined to one of undisclosed consideration.
