H1 2021 review: vibrant activity and expanding sector leadership

After a cyclical 2020 and record finish, Clairfield International sees M&A activity roaring back to even higher levels. The Refinitiv league tables for the first half of 2021 ranks Clairfield at the top of independent midmarket advisors. With the recent addition of new partners in London, India, and Switzerland, and expanding sector leadership, Clairfield continues to help clients take advantage of market conditions to realize their strategic ambitions.

Clairfield closed 64 deals in the first half of 2021 with a cumulative deal value of EUR 1.8 billion on behalf of clients ranging from start-ups to large corporates. We have noted an increase in crossborder deals and in private equity activity. The Clairfield average EBITDA multiple for asset sales is running at 8.8x with TMT, consumer and services commanding much higher levels.

Transactions advised by Clairfield in the first half of this year include

The sale of Kiwa to SHV, a repeat client in the testing and certification space, whom we have accompanied as trusted advisor for the past 15 years.

The sale of Ser.Nav to Customs Support, a deal involving a crossborder team in three countries and support from our multinational services team.

The acquisition of UK paper company Essential Supply Products by the Italian Lucart, also involving a crossborder team.

The acquisition of Nettix by longtime Finnish client Alma Media. Clairfield Finland provided a fairness opnion for this EUR 170 million acquisition.

Our clients’ successes have once again been reflected in Refinitiv’s H1 ranking of midmarket financial advisory firms. Clairfield takes great pride in ranking alongside the biggest names in investment banking. In addition to our longstanding position at the top of the tables for Europe, we are delighted to have achieved top 10 placements in Latin America and Australia in the half-year tables by Refinitiv.

Our new partners have expanded our reach in Europe and Asia. We expanded in the UK with new partner firms in London, adding to our long-standing presence in Birmingham, and Mumbai in January. In May we partnered in Zurich to expand on our client offering in the DACH region.

With our new partners, we were pleased to welcome new leadership to our sector teams. Angus Russell in London became the head of the services team, while Albert Schander in Frankfurt became head of the industrials team, two of our most active sector verticals. Meanwhile Marino Marchi, Italian energy expert, joined David Hassum of Australia, in chairing our energy, cleantech & resources team, where we see a rise of middle-market opportunity.

“We are living in interesting times on many levels. In a period of disruption and change, we  are equipped and ready to help our clients with financial advice in M&A and corporate finance to assist navigate and execute strategic moves as opportunities abound,” said Alexander Klemm, executive chairman of Clairfield.

See the Refinitiv H1 midcap league tables 2021 and the Refinitiv H1 smallcap league tables 2021.