Mergers and acquisitions with Irish involvement totalled $90.1 billion (€79 billion) during the first nine months of 2021, almost five times the value recorded during the same period a year ago, new figures show.
This is the third-strongest performance recorded for Irish M&A since Refinitiv started compiling records in 1980.
The figures indicate 481 deals with Irish involvement were recorded during the January to September period, 57 per cent more than the same period in 2020, and the highest tally since records began.
The second and third quarters of this year saw more deals announced than any other quarter on record, the research company said.
AerCap's $31.2 billion agreement to buy GE Capital Aviation Services, and Icon's $11.9 billion deal for PRA Health Sciences topped the Irish M&A list.
Other big M&A deals announced in the first nine months were Steris's $4.3 million deal for Cantel Medical, and Eaton's $2.83 million acquisition of Cobham Mission.
Boosted by these deals, Irish outbound M&A reached $67.2 billion during the first nine months of 2021, more than any other comparable period on record.
Deals worth $17.4 billion involved an Irish target during the first nine months of 2021, more than five times the value recorded during the opening nine months of 2020 and a three-year high.
Inbound M&A, involving an Irish target and a foreign buyer, increased fivefold to $15.4 billion, while domestic deals reached a two-year high of $2 billion.
Goldman Sachs took first place in the third-quarter financial advisor ranking for M&A with any Irish involvement, followed by Citi and Morgan Stanley.
