By Published On: May 3, 2024

In the Food and Beverage sector, the M&A scene kicked off the year with promise, marked by a steady stream of transactions, including several significant ones. Q1 of 2024 saw a slight uptick in deal count, totaling 76 transactions compared to 71 in Q4 of 2023. Notably, completed deals in the fourth quarter boasted valuations averaging 7.5x Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) adjusted EBITDA, reflecting a 0.2x increase from the previous quarter and a notable improvement from the 6.7x average observed in the second quarter. This surge in valuations sets an encouraging tone for 2024. However, disparities in valuation expectations persist between buyers and sellers, as buyers prioritize risk mitigation in their evaluations. Read the full report.

Mike McCraw, Managing Director and Food & Beverage Team Leader at FOCUS, is an experienced entrepreneur and investment banker and has over 30 years’ experience serving clients with mergers & acquisitions, advisory services, and business consulting.