Global Trends of International Mergers and Acquisitions in the Energy Sector

The article explores conditions, factors and results of mergers and acquisitions in international business with the example of the energy industry. The directions of world energy market transformation in the framework of PESTLE analysis have been determined by the factors influencing the efficiency and future of the companies that have effected mergers and acquisitions. The transformation of the global energy market is associated with changes in the main market parameters that affect the sectoral and regional structure of international mergers and acquisitions. Including: growing demand for energy from the growing population of the planet, including due to an increase in the middle class share; fluctuation of world oil market prices; the growth of supply of shale oil changing the transnational flows of trade in primary petroleum products; rising demand for renewable energy as a result of cheapening technologies and diversification policies; the growth of renewable energy sources supply; increase in demand for atomic energy; improvement of energy infrastructure; introduction of energy efficient and low carbon technologies; introduction of safe technologies by energy companies; reduction of transaction costs in power grids due to optimization of modes at application of Smart Grid at all levels (local, on-site, regional, national, international); the expansion of the world-leading countries in the primary energy markets; demonopolization of national energy markets and liberalization of energy markets of the EU, USA, Japan, South Korea, Australia, etc. The world market of mergers and acquisitions has been characterized with the definition of key features of its development. International mergers and acquisitions in the energy sector are analysed on the basis of regional and industry characteristics. The international mergers and acquisitions in the energy sector has been analysed, taking into account the main scenarios for the development of the global energy market (reform, restoration, competition). The tendencies of mergers and acquisitions in energy in the context of the energy markets transformation have been revealed, including, but not limited to: the increase in the number and value of transactions in renewable energy under any scenario of the global energy market development; the cyclical nature of the mergers and acquisitions development; synchronization of mergers and acquisitions cycles in energy and world market of mergers and acquisitions; increase in the number of transactions; involvement of innovative energy companies that implement energy-efficient production, intelligent technologies, and robotics in the consolidation processes; increase in the share of cross-border mergers and acquisitions; accelerated regional growth in the number and value of mergers and acquisitions transactions in the developed countries of Western Europe, North America (USA, Canada), Asia-Pacific (China, India, Australia); the high growth rates of international mergers and acquisitions among developing countries in the countries of Central and South America (Mexico, Brazil), as well as in some African countries where the renewable energy is being rapidly developing (Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria).