Library Guides: Mergers and Acquisitions: Sources for M&A Information

Sources for M&A Information

Subject Specialists

Individual Deals

Thomson Financial is the premier source for information on individual M&A deals. Their data can be accessed through Thomson ONE Banker. The database has comprehensive details on all announced deals, whether completed or uncompleted. The database covers U.S. targets 1979 to present and Non U.S. targets 1985 to present. Data are unavailable for the last thirty days as a condition of our academic subscription.
Data available include full financial details, advisors and fees, premiums paid, etc.

Thomson's data were formerly collected by Securities Data Corporation and accessed through a program called SDC Platinum. SDC Platinum will often appear as a source in empirical research, but the data are the same in Thomson ONE.

How to access deal data in Thomson ONE

Connect to Thomson ONE (link is below)
Choose Screening & Analysis in left column
Click on Deals & League Tables
Select M&A to see search options

Thomson ONE

Comprehensive database of company financial data. It incorporates Disclosure financials, First Call estimates and recommendations, Datastream price history, Investext analyst reports and SDC Platinum M&A, New Issues and Venture Capital information.

League Tables

League Tables are periodic rankings of M&A activity. These usually rank the largest deals and the firms involved in the deals.

Thomson Financial is the most widely cited source for league tables.
They have some information available for free through their
Deals Intelligence site This requires registration.

Thomson ONE
allows you to search on any number of criteria and create customized league tables based on your search results. Use the advanced search in Thomson Banker and then choose Rankings after running your search.

Bloomberg has current league tables on their web site
(scroll down to see links)

Custom tables can be generated on the Bloomberg terminals in the Gleacher and Harper Center Labs. Type LEAG at the prompt.

Industry Statistics and Analysis

Mergerstat Review (print resource)
Published annually and available in Regenstein Library, second floor reading room, call number HD 2746.5.M48 Mergerstat Review is an annual statistical compendium of M & A activity worldwide. It features detailed industry analysis, including multiples and premiums at an industry level.
The Library has 1985 - .

Thomson ONE
Thomson Banker has data on the dollar value and number of deals at macro-industry levels. It does not have data on multiples and premiums.

Comprehensive database of company financial data. It incorporates Disclosure financials, First Call estimates and recommendations, Datastream price history, Investext analyst reports and SDC Platinum M&A, New Issues and Venture Capital information.

News and Articles

There are many publications dedicated to coverage of the M & A sector. Many of the the major publications are available in online databases like ABI/INFORM and Business Source Complete.
Some important publications:

Mergers & Acquisitions
News and other information. Business Source Complete includes rosters of recently completed transactions.
ABI/INFORM 1993 - present
Business Source Complete 1998 - present
Weekly Corporate Growth Report
News and trends. One issue a month includes an article on valuation in a specific industry.
ABI/INFORM 1987 - 2009
Business Source Complete 1996 - 2009