Lazard has topped the latest mergers and acquisitions (M&A) league table of the top 10 financial advisers for the power sector based on deal value in the first half (H1) of 2019, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

The financial advisory and asset management firm advised on five deals worth US$7.1bn, including the big ticket deal of Infrastructure Investments Fund’s acquisition of El Paso Electric for US$4.3bn.

According to GlobalData, which tracks all M&A, private equity/venture capital and asset transaction activity around the world to compile the league tables, Centerview stood at second position with just two deals, worth an impressive US$6bn, while JP Morgan finished at third with nine deals worth US$5.4bn.

Tokala Ravi, Financial Deals Analyst at GlobalData, says: “Infrastructure Investments Fund’s acquisition of El Paso Electric helped Lazard and Skadden to lead the tables of financial and legal categories, respectively. Despite advising on 12 transactions each, Rothschild & Co in the financial category and Linklaters in the legal category settled at eighth position due to low-value transactions.”

Global power deals market in H1 2019

The total deal value in the power sector plunged by 48.5% from US$278.0bn in H1 2018 to US$143.1bn in H1 2019. The sector saw 1,362 deals in H1 2019, an increase of 11.5% from 1,222 deals in H1 2018.

Lazard, which topped the power league table of M&A financial advisers, finished at thirteenth position in the recently released global league table of top 20 M&A financial advisers by GlobalData. Goldman Sachs topped the global rankings chart, followed by JP Morgan.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom leads top 10 M&A legal advisers list

US-based law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom led the top 10 legal advisers list in terms of deal value. The firm provided legal services to six deals worth US$7.9bn. Mayer Brown secured second position with two deals worth US$6.2bn.

In the global league table of top 20 M&A legal advisers, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom secured tenth position. The global table was led by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.