BakerHostetler presents its inaugural Texas M&A Trends alert. Each quarter, we will present data regarding Texas’ robust M&A market, with useful comparisons to the U.S. market overall. The alert focuses on M&A volume and value, identifies the most active industries, and includes market commentary from our Texas-based M&A attorneys.

As expected, M&A activity in the U.S., including Texas, declined by all measures recorded in the attachment below. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, M&A activity had generally been softening at the end of 4Q19. Those declines continued and were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant drop in oil prices, both of which dramatically decreased M&A activity in March 2020. These declines are expected to continue, and at an increasing rate, into 2Q20 and beyond as the COVID-19 pandemic and its lingering effects continue to impact the global economy and financial markets.