Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in Hungary - statistics & facts
Companies in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region are becoming more and more popular with foreign investors. However, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity has slowed down on the Hungarian market over the past years. In 2023, there were 57 transactions, the second-lowest number following 2020 when only 42 transactions took place. In comparison, Poland recorded 366 transactions over the same year.
Despite the decreasing M&A activity on the market, still a high number of foreign investors target Hungarian companies. In 2023, the two largest transactions were recorded in the ICT sector, with the acquisition of Vodafone Hungary’s and PPF Telecom’s assets.
Hungary’s M&A landscape
In 2022, Hungarian investors accounted for only 52 percent of the transactions taking place in the country. The majority of foreign bidders were located in the European Union and the United Kingdom, measuring at 27 percent, while North America accounted for another 8.7 percent. Considering deal value, Austria was the most significant foreign investor in Hungarian companies in 2023, at 25 million U.S. dollars, followed by China and Sweden, respectively. In the same year, information and communications technology companies recorded the highest transaction value at 2.65 billion euros, followed by enterprises in finance and insurance with approximately 74 million euros..Vodafone Hungary is now in domestic ownership
The acquisition of Vodafone Hungary was the largest investment made in 2023. This was also one of the most significant transactions closed in the Hungarian telecommunication market, as 4iG, a leading ICT company in the region, acquired the majority share, with 51 percent. The remaining portion of the company's shares were acquired by the government, making Vodafone Hungary completely domestically owned. The second-largest deal of the year was also recorded in the telecommunications sector, as the e& from the United Arab Emirates acquired half of PPF Telecom’s assets.Despite the decreasing M&A activity on the market, still a high number of foreign investors target Hungarian companies. In 2023, the two largest transactions were recorded in the ICT sector, with the acquisition of Vodafone Hungary’s and PPF Telecom’s assets.
