Deloitte: Hungary outperformed global M&A trends

The statement stated that compared to 2023, there were 4.5 percent more transactions globally in 2024, with a 13.8 percent higher transaction value. In previous years, the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region followed global trends, but in 2024 it deviated from them, and although the number of transactions was able to increase minimally, the total value of transactions decreased compared to the previous year.

Most transactions continued to involve companies operating in the United States, but their global share further decreased from 27.7 percent to 26.5 percent. Among the developed Western economies, only France saw a decrease in the number of transactions, while other developed leading economies – the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and China – experienced mixed growth.

They pointed out that examining the country breakdown of transaction numbers in CEE, a mixed picture is observed. In the region’s largest market, Poland, the decline since the peak in 2022 continued in 2024. In the Baltics, however, the number of transactions increased by 45 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. Other markets in the region, such as Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovenia, experienced a moderate increase in the number of transactions. In the countries of Southeastern Europe – Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia – the number of transactions decreased moderately in 2024.

According to the statement, a strong rebound is visible in the Hungarian corporate acquisition market. The Hungarian M&A market not only followed the global growth trend, but also showed significant recovery, surpassing its pace. Hungarian investors played a decisive role in 2024, representing a share of over 50 percent, similar to the previous three years. However, their share decreased slightly, from 56.3 percent in 2023 to 53.9 percent.