Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) by Singaporean companies in Vietnam
reached 72 million USD during the past 12 months, accounting for 9 per
cent in terms of quantity and 3 percent in terms of value of all M&A
deals.
The total value of M&As in the local market
was estimated at 2.5 billion USD during the twelve months from August
last year, the highest level in a decade.
The figure for
Singaporean investors increased by more than three times compared to
last year's level, which stood at 23 million USD, and is an all-time
high for Singaporean investors here.
According to
London-based financial data provider Mergermarket, since August 2007,
Singaporean companies have invested around 203 million USD in the
Vietnamese market and carried out more than ten M&A deals.
These M&As were mostly in the chemical and biotechnology
industries, while the construction, consumer goods, transport and
financial sectors also saw deals.
Most notable was the
acquisition of Fortis Healthcare International for a 65 percent stake in
Hoan My Medical Corporation at 64 million USD in August last year. The
company's name was then changed to Fortis Hoan My Group.
Earlier in 2008, Singaporean automotive group Jardine Cycle and Carriage
purchased a 12-per-cent stake in Truong Hai Auto for 41 million USD.
While Singaporean firms were increasingly expanding M&As in
Vietnam, Japanese investors still dominated with eight deals worth up to
803 million USD during the last 12 months.
Although
French investors carried out only two M&A deals during the period,
they topped the table in terms of value, with 1.3 billion USD in
investments. The biggest M&A deal took place in February when
ConocoPhillips, the third largest US oil company, sold its assets in
Vietnam to French partner Perenco.-VNA