Data report: M&A deal value falls in February

The value of VC-backed M&A fell by more than half in February to $1.12 billion from $2.34 billion the month before, according to VCJ‘s preliminary analysis of exit data from Thomson Reuters.

A total of 24 companies backed by investors worldwide were acquired last month, with four disclosing their financials. (See table below.)

The month’s largest deal was HP‘s acquisition of Simplivity for $650 million. The data-center company had raised more than $260 million in funding from venture investors, including Accel, DFJ and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, among others.

Simplivity was one of three exits DFJ closed last month, the other two being Fonality and Skyward IO. Terms of those two weren’t disclosed.

New Enterprise Associates and Sequoia Capital each racked up two exits last month.

HP was the most acquisitive buyer of the month. In addition to Simplivity, HP bought stealth security analytics provider Niara. Terms weren’t disclosed.

Nine of the acquired companies during February were based in California, with five calling San Francisco home.

Download Data in Excel: VC-backed M&A completed or announced (February 2017)

Exit-sign photo courtesy LordRunar/iStock/Getty Images