ISSUE 2 | 2022
62
DEAL ACTIVITY INCREASES Deals mirror market and funding activity. 2021 registered almost 300 cybersecurity deals. Analysis from Momentum Cyber shows that the average cybersecurity M&A size increased to USD 271m, more than doubling 2020’s average of USD 110m. Total deal value reached USD 77.5bn, representing a (294.6% YoY increase). The results are somewhat influenced by the number of mega-deals signed in 2021. However, it also indicates how valuations and deal multiples in the space have increased. As the market continues to grow, vendors look to solidify positions and expand offerings through M&A. Examples include Wipro Limited’s acquisition of cybersecurity consulting provider Edgile for USD 230m and Integrity360's acquisition of Caretower. Increased activity from private equity and strategic investors is also contributing. In 2021, they acquired 129 venture-backed companies, far outpacing 2020’s record 79 deals. Examples include STG’s takeover of McAfee, Thomas Bravo’s acquisition of Proofpoint, Apax Partners buying Herjavec Group, and a string of mid-market deals such as Intermediate Capital Group’s minority investment in 6Point6. AI AMONG LIKELY NEXT STEPS Cybersecurity is often a race between defenders and attackers. As new attack vectors appear, advanced technologies like AI are being deployed. Its strengths include rapidly sifting through and making sense of vast data troves and developing new ways to counter potential threats.
CYBERSECURITY M&A DEALS ANDVALUE 2017 2021
400
80
300
60
200
40
100
20
0
0
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Number of deals
Private company value (USDbn)
Public company value (USDbn)
Data: Momentum Cyber. Graph: BDO Global.
MEDIAN TTM REVENUE MULTIPLE FOR CYBERSECURITY DEALS 2017 2022*
11.6
9
7.6
7.1
6.4
5.6
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022*
Median TTM revenue multiple
Data: 451 Research. Graph: BDO Global *:2022 deals concluded by March 18th are included.
As the arms race continues and the costs of cyber threats rise, much speaks for cybersecurity companies maintaining their M&A momentum.
Cybersecurity companies are leveraging these abilities to build automated security systems, natural language processing, and automatic threat detection. However, attackers also use AI to develop smart malware and upgrade attacks to bypass the latest security protocols.
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