Overseas buyers scooping up Danish companies in record numbers

International entities could account for 70 percent of all purchases a decade from now

Foreign funds and companies are increasingly acquiring corporate assets in Denmark, according to new figures from the consultancy firm Audon Partners.

The statistics for the first three months of the year showed that for the first quarter ever, foreign buyers accounted for the most purchases of Danish companies. They accounted for 54 percent compared to 40 percent in the same period last year.

“The thing that attracts foreign investors is that Denmark has international and rather knowledge-heavy companies, and there is therefore greater trust in what a Danish business leader says compared to some other countries,” Steffen Thomsen, a partner in the venture capital fund Adelis, told Berlingske newspaper.

“The only thing that goes against Denmark is the Danish tax policy, which is too unstable.”

READ MORE: Copenhagen sees another multi-billion kroner listing head to New York instead

US interest
The percentage of German companies sold to foreign companies was comparable to the Danish percentage, but in Britain and Sweden the majority of companies were sold to domestic buyers. In France about 75 percent of sold French companies were sold to domestic buyers.

US buyers have taken a liking to the Danish market, highlighted by the sale of NemID operator Nets, to a consortium that included the US asset management firm Bain Capital and the US private equity firm Advent International. 

Audon Partners expects the trend to continue over the coming year and predicted that foreign buyers could account for 70 percent of Danish company purchases a decade from now.

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