By now, most of you have heard that privately-held A/E superfirm RTKL has been acquired by the Dutch engineering outfit ARCADIS.
I believe that RTKL is only the first of many big US-based A/E superfirms that will soon be acquired by non-US interests. I predict that non-US firms will acquire between 8-10 of the largest 25 US-based A/E firms over the next 12-18 months.
If you look at the world financial picture right now, it makes perfect sense. A weak US dollar combined with Wall Street's overvaluing of large publicly traded A/E/C firms create a win-win for buyers and sellers alike.
Until next time,
Frank A. Stasiowski, FAIA
