Health Care M&A Spending Falls Nearly 40% in 2012, Lowest Year on Record since 2003, According to Irving Levin Associates, Inc.

Circle Connections: Mergers & Acquisitions In 2012, dealmakers committed $143.3 billion to finance the year's activity in the health care merger, acquisition and takeover market. Although sizable, that total represents a 38% decline compared with the $231.0 billion spent in 2011. Last year ranks ninth out of the last ten years in dollar volume, with only 2003's $94.2 billion coming in lower. In terms of the number of health care deals announced, however, the year was one of the busiest in the past decade, with 1,063 deals, up 5.9% compared with 2011's . . .