Values lower but M&A deal premiums rise to highest multiple in decade

New York

THE market for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) may have slowed from 2015's records, but that doesn't mean those buyers that are willing to do deals can get a bargain.

Deal premiums have reached the highest multiple in at least a decade this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Companies paid a median of 11.07 times their target's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation through June 27 to make acquisitions, the data show. That's the most since at least 2007.