LONDON -(Dow Jones)- Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) advised on the most merger and acquisition deals worldwide in the first quarter of this year, according to data released Friday from Thomson Financial.

The bank worked on 81 deals worth $231.5 billion, followed in the second and third spots by Lehman Brothers (LEH) and Citigroup Inc.(C), which advised on global deals worth $203 billion and $190 billion, respectively.

Citigroup was the most active adviser on deals with a European element. It worked on 42 of these transactions worth $161.6 billion. Credit Suisse (CS) was the next most active bank in this respect, working on 36 deals worth $149.7 billion, followed by Goldman, which advised on deals worth $147 billion.

Goldman led in terms of estimated fees for the quarter as well. It earned fees of $399.9 million from its global M&A work, including $200 million for deals including

a European element.

Merrill Lynch (MER) and Credit Suisse were the next most profitable in terms of global fee revenue. Merrill earned $291.8 million and Credit Suisse earned $ 287.6 million.

In Europe, Morgan Stanley (MS) was the second most lucrative fee earner. It generated $181 million in fees from M&A, followed by Merrill Lynch, which earned $168.6 million.

-By Victoria Howley, Dow Jones Newswires; 44 20 7842 9261; victoria.howley@ dowjones.com

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires
  03-27-08 2016ET
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