SARASOTA, FL--(Marketwire - March 9, 2011) - IMAP, the exclusive global organization of leading merger and acquisition advisory firms, ranks fourth in the world for completed transactions with values up to $200 million, according to Thomson Reuters and its Mid-Market League Tables. 

In 2010, IMAP climbed eight spots from last year's twelfth-place global M&A ranking. In addition, closed transactions by the IMAP partners in the Nordic and Eastern Europe regions placed IMAP at the top of their respective regional markets. The Nordic partners' results ranked first in this region for the fourth consecutive year, while in Eastern Europe, IMAP moved up to the top from its second-place ranking in 2009. 

In addition to IMAP's placement in the top five worldwide for transactions up to $200 million, IMAP also continues to climb the rankings in Europe and emerging markets. For the second consecutive year, IMAP ranks in the top five in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

"This is the result of the strength of our partnership as well as our high-level service provision approach in each country where we operate. It was exciting to see that IMAP made such significant advancement and gains in the market at a time when much of the M&A world is still recovering," said Sevket Basev, Chairman of IMAP. "We are proud to be recognized among the leading M&A firms and moving past other top tier competitors."

In 2010, IMAP completed 184 transactions with a total value of $11.1 billion, which represents a 79 percent increase from 2009's total transaction value of $6.2 billion from 179 deals. In addition, 33 percent of IMAP's 2010 transactions were cross-border deals.

In IMAP's recently released 2010 Transaction & Pricing Report, IMAP advisers reported that they witnessed an increase in both the number of sellers and buyers in the market in 2010 as well as an increase in the demand for larger size deals. Last year, 73 percent of IMAP advisers reported that there were fewer sellers in 2009 than in 2008. In 2010, there was a reversal of this trend as more than 60 percent of the advisers reported that there were more sellers in 2010 compared to 2009, and 75 percent observed more buyers. In addition, the 73 percent increase in the average deal size of IMAP-completed transactions -- $59.8 million in 2010 versus $34.4 million in 2009 -- is clear evidence of IMAP's involvement in larger transactions. In the coming year, IMAP advisers believe lenders will become even more flexible in accommodating cash flow loans needed to fund business acquisitions and buyers will become more realistic about valuations and deal structures.

To view or download the complete 2010 IMAP Transaction and Pricing Survey, visit: http://www.imap.com/imap/media/article_documents/2010TransctnPricing_LoRes_A56BE87069745.pdf

IMAP Brings Together Representatives of Global M&A Markets
IMAP holds two large industry events annually. One of these is held in the U.S. and the other one in one of the countries where IMAP has an office location. The first event of 2011 will be held in New York on Thursday, March 31. Media, private equity groups, corporate development personnel, global M&A attorneys and other industry professionals will have an opportunity to meet representatives from IMAP at IMAP's 2011 Global Mergers & Acquisitions Symposium. Registration is now open and additional information on this spring symposium is available on the IMAP Web site: www.imap.com/conferences.

About IMAP
IMAP is an exclusive global organization of leading merger and acquisition advisory firms. Formed in 1973, IMAP is composed of 45 offices in nearly 30 countries throughout North and South America, Eastern and Western Europe and Asia. In 2010, IMAP advisers completed 184 transactions, with an aggregate transaction value of more than $11.1 billion. IMAP advisers provide strategic merger, acquisition, divestiture and related corporate finance services. Sellers of mid-size companies and corporate acquirers alike rely upon IMAP for essential local market knowledge and industry expertise delivered with unparalleled global reach. Every business day, somewhere in the world, an IMAP adviser is completing an M&A transaction. More information is available via the Internet at www.imap.com. 

If you are interested in receiving expert commentary from a member of IMAP's global network of advisors, please contact the following:

Contact Information:

Media Contacts:
Christina Bereta for IMAP
(312) 780-7218
cbereta@dresnerco.com

David Gutierrez for IMAP
(312) 780-7204
dgutierrez@dresnerco.com