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What Foreign Buyers Like

Chart showing the number of acquisition deals by foreign companies in various industries from 1988-1992.

By Bruce G. Posner | 
 

The amount of foreign money going to acquire U.S. companies has been off by as much as 80% in the past two years. Still, it's interesting to note the industrial sectors that have been in demand over the past five years, as explained by The Mergerstat Review, published by Merrill Lynch:

Number of acquisition deals Industry by foreign companies, 1988-1992

Drugs 66

Chemicals 64

Food processing 54

Industrial and farm machinery 51

Printing and publishing 50

Electronics 50

Electrical equipment 43

Computer software and services 40

Leisure and entertainment 39

Brokerage, investment, and consulting 39

Banking and finance 39

Source: The 1992 Mergerstat Review, Merrill Lynch & Co., Schaumburg, Ill.

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