A new Ernst & Young survey found that 93 percent of U.S. companies seeking acquisitions are doing so outside their own business sector.

That means the usual industry boundaries are blurring, EY reported.

Key findings of the poll:

• 74 percent plan to pursue an acquisition in the next year, higher than usual.
• 92 percent of companies that are worth $5 billion or more are planning an acquisition in the next 12 months.
• 86 percent consider cyberattacks a big threat to new deals.
• 88 percent see a stable U.S. mergers and acquisition market.

“On the heels of a prolonged phase of industry shaping megadeals, the U.S. market is experiencing healthy and sturdy levels of dealmaking confidence,” said Rich Jeanneret, EY Americas vice chair for transaction advisory services. “After two years of heightened valuations, prices are finally starting to come back down to earth; 77 percent of executives are now calling the valuation gap ‘small,’ and that is a positive indication that an increase in deal activity lies ahead.”