Global money management merger-and-acquisition activity increased significantly in 2012 from the previous year, while U.S. deals increased more modestly.
The number of global money management transactions increased to 137 deals in 2012, up 22% from 2011, according to the 2012 Financial Services M&A Activity Overview released by Freeman & Co. on Wednesday.
In the U.S., there were 79 transactions in 2012, a 4% increase from a year earlier.
Total assets under management represented in the 137 global deals was $1.36 trillion, up 6% from 2011.
The top transaction by AUM was Dai-ichi Life's purchase of a 20% ownership stake in Janus Capital Group, representing $152.4 billion in assets under management, followed by the purchase of TCW Group by Carlyle Group and TCW management from Societe Generale, representing $130 billion in assets under management.
Midsize deals, involving firms with assets under management between $1 billion and $10 billion, saw the greatest increase, with 94 deals in 2012 from 70 in 2011.
The number of deals involving firms with more than $10 billion in AUM dropped to 26 in 2012 from 27 in 2011, while the number of deals involving firms with between $500 million and $1 billion in AUM increased to 17 in 2012 from 15 in 2012.
