Lazard has dominated the latest mergers and acquisitions (M&A) league table of the top 10 financial advisers in the retail sector based on deal value in the first quarter (Q1) 2019, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

The financial advisory and asset management firm advised on three deals worth a total of US$5.5bn, including the big ticket deal of Transform Holdco’s acquisition of assets and business of Sears Holdings for US$5.2bn.

According to GlobalData, which tracks all M&A, private equity/venture capital and asset transaction activity around the world to compile the league table, Evercore Partners, M-III Partners and Moelis & Co shared the second position with just one deal, but worth US$5.2bn.

Nagarjun Sura, Financial Deals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Though the overall deal volume in the retail sector witnessed an increase in Q1 2019, disclosed deal value dropped because of a limited number of big ticket deals amidst growing struggle for conventional retail stores.”

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Global retail deals market in Q1 2019

The retail sector saw decline in deal value while volumes grew in Q1 2019 compared with Q1 2018. The total value declined by 8.6% from US$25.4bn in Q1 2018 to US$23.3bn in Q1 2019. Deal volume increased by 38.8% from 407 in Q1 2018 to 565 in Q1 2019.

Lazard, which topped the retail league table of M&A financial advisers, finished at 14th position in the recently released global league table of top 20 M&A financial advisers by GlobalData.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton leads list of top 10 M&A legal advisers

US-based law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton emerged as the lead player in the list of top 10 legal advisers, in terms of deal value. It advised on two deals worth a combined US$5.3bn. Weil Gotshal & Manges occupied the second position in terms of value, advising on two deals worth US$5.2bn. In the global league table of top 20 M&A legal advisers, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton was ranked 10th while Weil Gotsha & Manges finished at 16th position.