Signs of a potential economic slowdown, a tight labor market and operational difficulties in the senior living industry did not stop buyers from announcing a whopping 228 transactions in the first half of 2019, according to our M&A database DealSearchOnline. That doesn’t even include deals that will eventually rise to the surface or remain undisclosed altogether. The total beats the second half of 2018, which recorded 223 deals, and the first six months of 2018, when 204 deals were made. What’s significant is that 2018 was already a record year in terms of M&A, soaring above 2017’s total of 307 publicly announced deals with an incredible 427 transactions. Now, at 228 deals so far in 2019, this year is already at nearly 75% of 2017’s total and on track to top 2018 as well.

That is, of course, if buyers stay just as active, which is no sure thing. June, for example, was the year’s weakest month in terms of deal volume, with just 30 announced deals. That figure is historically strong but is a significant drop from the consistently high monthly totals we have been recording since January, topping off in February with 43 deals. Perhaps summer vacation started a little early for some buyers.