* Australian dollar has fallen 13 pct so far in 2015
* Inbound deals up 23 pct in value over year-ago period
* Average inbound deal size is at a record
By Byron Kaye
SYDNEY, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Foreign suitors are bidding for
Australian companies at a frenzied pace this year, spurred by a
steady decline in the Aussie against the U.S. dollar AUD=
which is turning valuations reasonable.
Last week's $1.6 billion all-cash approach by U.S. credit
agency Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) EFX.N for Sydney-listed rival Veda Group
VED.AX is the latest among billion-dollar-plus inbound
takeovers of Australian companies, as a slowdown in the
country's top trading partner China weighs on the economy and on
its currency which is down 13 percent so far this year.
Australian inbound deals have risen 23 percent by value so
far in 2015 compared to the same period last year, Thomson
Reuters data showed, as the weak currency added to supportive
conditions already created by persistently low interest rates
and the prospect of exposure to a mature, growing market.
The average value of Australian inbound deals so far in 2015
is the highest on record at $127 million, up 31 percent on the
year before.
"I don't know that (the dollar) has been the sole driver but
it has certainly acted as a catalyst," said Douglas Farrell,
head of mergers and acquisitions at Citigroup (NYSE:C) Pty Ltd, which is
advising Canada's Brookfield Asset Management BAMa.TO in an
A$8.9 billion ($6.4 billion) play for freight firm Asciano
AIO.AX , the biggest deal of the year.
Dealflow has also been helped by "increased volatility that
we're seeing in markets that from a timing standpoint make
shareholders a bit more likely to accept a cash bid where
there's a strong level of certainty", said Farrell.
A foreign firm was also the acquirer in the second largest
M&A deal of the year, where Japan Post Holdings 6178.T bought
Asciano's former owner Toll Holdings for A$6.5 billion.
"There is a clear increase in offshore corporates looking to
take advantage of the strengthening economic ties between
Australia and Asia," said Scott Couzner, the local head of
mergers and acquisitions for HSBC Bank Plc, which helped Hong
Kong-listed Biostime International Holdings 1112.HK buy
unlisted Australian vitamin company Swisse Wellness for about
A$1.4 billion in a deal announced on Sept. 17.
"While not the primary factor, the recent fall in the
Australian dollar has helped, bridging to a certain extent
valuation differences which were otherwise unattainable when the
Australian dollar was at parity with the U.S.," Couzner added.
Veda shares rose 2 percent to A$2.68 on Tuesday, just short
of Equifax's A$2.70 offer, as investors considered the
likelihood the deal will proceed. A Veda spokeswoman declined to
comment.
($1 = 1.4017 Australian dollars)