Has it Been Three Years Already?

In my last post I noted that now is a good time to pursue a divestiture or private equity transaction based on: (i) coming out of the recession in 2009 and seeing a general return to growth and profitability, (ii) historically low interest rates, and (iii), a tremendous amount of investible capital at private equity funds and on corporate balance sheets.  So how good is it?

The following is a chart of the S&P500 over the last three years. Since March of 2009, after reaching a low in the 675 area, the S&P500 is now 100% higher and flirting with recent highs.

The 10 year US Treasury yield index is below 20 (at a three year low resulting in a yield of 1.87%).

The facts are as follows: we are near a three year high in the S&P500; S&P500 earnings have improved every quarter since Q1 of 2010, interest rates are at three year lows and a recent study by the Wall Street Journal highlighted that "cash accounted for 7.1% of all company assets, the highest level since 1963."  In short a strong foundation for a healthy M&A market.

BUT, people are worried.  Worried about the European debt crises, US budget deficits, an ineffectual Congress, falling house prices and an unemployment rate of over 8%; hence the contradiction of improving earnings and historically low interest rates.  The expression “the market is climbing a wall of worry” reflects a scenario where the market goes up despite uncertainties.  This is positive in my mind because it represents a healthy tension between the bulls and the bears; no over exuberance with the potential of a crash but steady as she goes. According to Standard & Poor’s, the current consensus 2012 earnings forecast for the S&P500 is $103.70 which, at current levels, equates to a multiple of 13 times. Quite reasonable and therefore we are in a positive environment for M&A activity.

Derek van der Plaat, CFA has worked in private market M&A for more than 20 years and is a Managing Director with Veracap Corporate Finance in Toronto.