Mid-Market Deal Flow Looking Good

Deals are getting done in the middle-market space, with a new survey finding the highest rate of growth in deal-flow in six months.

The mid-market M&A conditions index had a composite score of 61.3, and survey participants say they closed more deals in April than they did in March.

The results follow optimistic assessments from dealmakers about 2014 over the last several months.

Akorn is buying privately-held VersaPharm for $440 million in cash. The deal is aimed at increasing Akorn's presence in the dermatology market. VersaPharm focuses on tuberculosis and hemophilia in addition to dermatology, with a pipeline of more than 20 products.

Meanwhile, Truecar may be valued at nearly $1 billion if its initial public offering is priced at the upper end of the expected range. The company, which tells consumers what people have paid for new cars in their area, is seeking to raise about $109 million from its IPO.

Truecar is expected to list on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “RUE.”