Dive Summary:

• According to a PwC's U.S. retail and consumer deals insights report released Monday, U.S. retail and consumer M & A included six multibillion dollar deals and one of the largest in history.
• There were 27 total deals in the U.S. retail and consumer sector with disclosed amounts totaling at least $50 million.
• "The potential negative impact of the fiscal cliff on transactions during the first quarter of 2013 was more subdued than anticipated as deal activity was up significantly compared to the first three months of 2012," said Leanne Sardiga, of PwC's U.S. retail & consumer deals.

From the article:

In recent quarters, the retail and consumer sector has also seen continued activity in corporate restructuring and spin-offs, as companies reassess their portfolios and positioning in an increasingly competitive environment. Recent corporate spin-offs have generally focused on realigning businesses to distribution channels or high versus low growth product segments.