2018 is off to a strong start for mergers and acquisitions across media, information, marketing, software and tech-enabled services, with more than 500 announced transactions in the first quarter totaling $71.1 billion, a 124% increase over Q1 2017.

Though the number of transactions is down 7%, from 554 in Q1 2017 to 516 in Q1 2018, deal volume is up from 473 transactions in Q4 2017, and the deals being announced and completed are of higher average value.

The largest transactions in 2018 included the Thomson Reuters sale of its Financial and Risk Business to GIC, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, and Blackstone Group for $11.0 billion; the General Dynamics acquisition of CSRA for $6.9 billion; and the Salesforce acquisition of Mulesoft for $6.8 billion. In total, Q1 2018 saw 11 $1+ billion (megadeal) transactions, as compared to only six in Q1 2017, totaling $50 billion.

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