The number of billion-dollar-plus deals was evenly distributed among these quarters. Eleven multi-billion-dollar transactions were announced in Q1 and Q2:16, and 10 in Q2:15. However, Q2:16 had two deals that topped the $10-billion mark— Abbott 's (NYSE: ABT) $30.7 billion acquisition of St. Jude Medical (NYSE: STJ) and Quintiles ' (NYSE: Q) $12.9 billion deal for IMS Health (NYSE: IMS)—compared with a single deal in that category announced in Q1:16 and Q2:15.