M&A REPORT -- New Era of Consolidation

* Moore Corp., Toronto, made a large splash when it acquired The Neilsen Co., a $90 million Cincinnati printer. This move came on the heels of a $100 million cost-savings initiative by CEO Robert Burton in 2001, in a campaign that has helped the company's stock rise from the $4 range to $13+.

The vast majority of deals, however, have involved smaller, competing firms that joined forces to enhance product and service capabilities. While these will certainly continue, there are indications that a number of much bigger deals are also on the horizon.