The current financial crisis has started in the middle of 2007, and has had some interesting impacts on valuation metrics and trends.
Looking at the various automotive companies listed in Europe on the main stock exchanges, the valuation metrics within this sector have changed significantly; however 2009 has adjusted the previous exces:

a) Looking at the overall sector between 2007 and 2008:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 22.5%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 19.4%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 12.7%.

b) Looking at the overall sector between 2008 and 2009:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 12.2%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 35.1%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 27.8%.


c) Looking specifically at the trends between February 08 and Feb. 09:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 41.9%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 13.7%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 18.5%.

d) Looking specifically at the trends between March 08 and March 09:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 40.1%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 14.4%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 15.6%.

e) Looking specifically at the trends between June 08 and June 09:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 0.5%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 32.4%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 9.3%.

f) Looking specifically at the trends between September 08 and September 09:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 54.2%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 80.7%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 108.7%.

g) Looking specifically at the trends between December 08 and December 09:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 59.0%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 70.1%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 87.0%.


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Looking at the number of main corporate finance transactions involving a European Automotive company, the trend is as follow:
a) Number of deals between 2008 and 2009: -28.2%.
b) Number of deals between 2007 and 2008: +1.3%.
c) Number of deals between 2006 and 2007: +15.5%.
d) Number of deals between 2005 and 2006: -4.6%.