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 retail 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 28.5%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 21.3%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 11.8%.

b) Looking at the overall sector between 2008 and 2009:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 18.1%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 10.0%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 14.5%.


c) Looking specifically at the trends between February 08 and Feb. 09:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 35.3%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 23.0%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 2.9%.

d) Looking specifically at the trends between March 08 and March 09:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 31.5%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 13.0%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 2.3%.

e) Looking specifically at the trends between June 08 and June 09:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have decreased in average by 11.2%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 20.3%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 32.5%.

f) Looking specifically at the trends between September 08 and September 09:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 8.1%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 44.9%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 29.5%.

g) Looking specifically at the trends between December 08 and December 09:
o Sales multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 20.1%.
o EBITDA multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 47.7%.
o EBIT multiples (FY n+1) have increased in average by 16.4%.


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Looking at the number of main corporate finance transactions involving a European retail company, the trend is as follow:
a) Number of deals between 2008 and 2009: -30.5%.
b) Number of deals between 2007 and 2008: -11.3%.
c) Number of deals between 2006 and 2007: +22.1%.
d) Number of deals between 2005 and 2006: -11.7%.