Stefan Felgoys

M&A in 2023: A complex but optimistic outlook for deal-making

Stephan Feldgoise, Mark Sorrell, Alison Nathan, Stefan Felgoys

The 2022 M&A market experienced a sharp downturn in the second half driven by rising interest rates and geopolitical uncertainty, which caused private equity activity to slow while strategic deals and mega-transactions remained resilient due to strong balance sheets. As valuation gaps widened between public and private sectors, boards shifted their focus from growth multiples to cost of capital, prompting a surge in structured transactions and increased activism targeting operational improvements. Looking toward 2023, Goldman Sachs projects a recovery fueled by record private capital liquidity and attractive valuations, provided financing markets stabilize enough to allow debt syndication without prolonged deal delays.