I thought this short article was spot on regarding the deal environment. Based on inflation data out today, it looks like the Fed will likely hold tight on rates (though they are likely to continue quantitative tightening). So there is reason to hope for a soft landing at this point. And, with a bit more certainty in the market and less volatility, I think we will see a narrowing of the bid-ask on valuations and a resulting pick up in M&A activity going through the remainder of the year and into 2024.
For an M&A pickup to fully hit its stride, acquirers would need a clear signal that the Federal Reserve has concluded its interest rate hikes, Amster said.
