ALM Intelligence – Consulting division, previously known as Kennedy Consulting, has released its 2018 ratings of Transactions – Acquisitions consulting providers. Six firms were identified as leaders in the consulting industry: Alvarez &Marsal, Bain & Company, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC.

“There’s a lot of dry powder in the private equity sector and so far in 2018, there has been no shortage of M&A activity,” said Tomek Jankowski, Senior Research Analyst at ALM Intelligence. “Still, there are challenges. Providers in the Transactions – Acquisitions space are feeling the heat from an increasingly crowded market and other factors that are both driving up their costs while putting pressure on fees.”

Providers that attained challenger status include: Boston Consulting Group, Crowe, FTI Consulting, HoulihanLokey, L.E.K., McKinsey, North Highland, Stax, and West Monroe Partners. Other firms that were rated include: A.T. Kearney, AlixPartners, Aprio, Baker Tilly, Grant Thornton, hu Consultancy, Navigant Consulting, Oliver Wyman, Protiviti, RSM International, Roland Berger, Smyth Advisory, Stout, and Valley Bigg Technology M&A.

ALM’s Vanguard research series assesses firms in terms of their relative ability to create impact for their clients.

In addition to its overall rating assessments of consulting providers‘ depth and breadth of capabilities and best-in-class provider designations, this series includes detailed capability evaluations for each covered provider as well as a qualitative analysis of their consulting organization, approach, and service delivery model.

For more information or to obtain the full version of The ALM Vanguard: Transactions – Acquisitions Consulting, visit the ALM Intelligence website: www.alm.com/intelligence/consulting-industry