Topic: M&As worldwide (2024)

Table of Contents
Which are the most active sectors for M&As? M&As: Drivers and challenges Key insights Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic Further recommended statistics Global overview Global overview Top M&A advisors Top M&A advisors North America North America Asia-Pacific Asia-Pacific Europe Europe Latin & South America Latin & South America Middle East and Africa Middle East and Africa FAQs References
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Although the terms “merger” and “acquisition” are often used interchangeably, they represent different methods of company consolidation processes. A merger is a combination of two companies to form a new company, while an acquisition is the purchase of one company by another, in which no new company is formed. , before reaching new heights in 2021. The remains the United States, both for domestic and cross-border deals, but M&As involving Chinese companies have been increasing throughout the last two decades, overtaking the United Kingdom (UK) as the second largest market in terms of M&A transactions value.

Which are the most active sectors for M&As?

Due to the global economic contraction and the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, . Some industries are more popular than others for M&As, depending also on the local economy. In 2022, the financial sector experienced the biggest decline in terms of M&A deals value, after increasing by more than 120 percent in 2021 compared to the previous year. In 2022, the information technology (IT) sector overtook the financial sector as the leading one in terms of M&As transaction value. Similarly, in the United States, the was technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), followed by pharma, medical and biotech. These rankings, however, largely depend on so-called mega-deals, which can significantly impact a sector’s performance, skewing the rankings.

M&As: Drivers and challenges

Several factors play a role in executives deciding to pursue a M&A deal. Drivers for buyers vary, but the most common generally include technology acquisition, foreign expansion, and market consolidation. On the other hand, sellers might need to enter a merger and acquisition deal due to divestments, liquidity issues, and acquisition of non-core assets by larger companies. Despite all the positive impacts that M&As can have on companies and markets, they involve complex and lengthy negotiations, followed by regulatory checks and due diligence to ensure the success of the transaction.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

Published by Statista Research Department, Dec 18, 2023

Key insights

Value of global M&A deals
2.5tr USD

Topic: M&As worldwide (1)

Detailed statistics

Value of M&A deals globally 1985-2024

Value of M&A deals in APAC
1.23tn USD

Topic: M&As worldwide (2)

Detailed statistics

Value of global M&A transactions 2019-2024, by region

Value of global M&A deals in real estate sector
338bn USD

Topic: M&As worldwide (3)

Detailed statistics

Value of global M&A deals 2023, by industry

Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Further recommended statistics

Global overview

5

Global overview

Top M&A advisors

5

Top M&A advisors

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (12)

    Leading financial advisors to M&A deals worldwide 2023, by deal value

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions worldwide in 2023, by deal value (in million U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (13)

    Leading financial advisors to M&As worldwide 2022, by deal volume

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions worldwide in 2022, by number of deals

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (14)

    Leading legal advisors to M&A deals worldwide 2022, by deal volume

    Leading legal advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions worldwide in 2022, by number of deals

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (15)

    Leading legal advisors to M&A deals worldwide 2022, by deal value

    Leading legal advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions worldwide in 2022, by deal value (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (16)

    Leading global M&A investment banks 2023, by fees

    Leading global investment banks specializing in mergers and acquisitions in 2023, by fees (in million U.S. dollars)

North America

8

North America

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (17)

    Volume of M&A deals North America 1985-2024

    Number of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in North America from 1985 to April 2024

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (18)

    Value of M&A deals North America 1985-2024

    Value of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in North America from 1985 to May 2024 (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (19)

    Volume of M&A deals in the U.S. 2000-2022

    Number of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in the United States from 2000 to 2022

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (20)

    Value of M&A deals in the U.S. 2006-2022

    Value of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in the United States from 2006 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (21)

    Leading financial advisors to M&A deals U.S. 2022, by deal value

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in the United States in 2022, by value of deals (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (22)

    Biggest M&A inbound deals in the U.S. 2022

    Largest merger and acquisition (M&A) inbound deals in the United States in 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (23)

    See Also
    Top M&A trends in 2024: Blueprint for success in the next wave of deals

    Leading financial advisors to M&A deal Canada 2022, by deal value

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Canada in 2022, by value of deals (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (24)

    Biggest M&A inbound deals Canada 2022

    Largest merger and acquisition (M&A) inbound deals in Canada in 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

Asia-Pacific

8

Asia-Pacific

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (25)

    Value of M&A deals Asia-Pacific 1990-2024

    Value of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Asia-Pacific from 1990 to May 2024 (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (26)

    Volume of M&A deals Asia-Pacific 1990-2024

    Number of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Asia-Pacific from 1990 to May 2024

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (27)

    Leading financial advisors to M&A APAC ex Japan 2023, by deal value

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan 2023, by deal value (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (28)

    Leading financial advisors to M&A deals Asia-Pacific 2023, by deal volume

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan in 2023, by number of deals

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (29)

    Biggest M&A inbound deals Asia (ex. Japan) 2023

    Largest merger and acquisition (M&A) inbound deals in Asia (excluding Japan) in 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (30)

    Leading financial advisors to M&A deals in Japan 2023, by deal value

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Japan in 2023, by deal value (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (31)

    Leading financial advisors to M&A deals in Japan 2023, by deal volume

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Japan in 2023, by number of deals

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (32)

    Biggest M&A inbound deals Japan 2023, by deal value

    Largest merger and acquisition (M&A) inbound deals in Japan in 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Europe

5

Europe

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (33)

    Volume of M&A deals Europe 1985-2024

    Number of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Europe from 1985 to April 2024

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (34)

    Value of M&A deals Europe 1985-2024

    Value of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Europe from 1985 to May 2024 (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (35)

    Leading financial advisors to M&A deals Europe 2023, by deal value

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Europe in 2023, by deal value (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (36)

    Leading financial advisors for M&A deals Europe 2023, by deal volume

    Leading financial advisors for merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Europe in 2023, by number of deals

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (37)

    Biggest M&A inbound deals Europe 2022

    Largest merger and acquisition (M&A) inbound deals in Europe in 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

Latin & South America

4

Latin & South America

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (38)

    Volume of M&A deals South America 1985-2024

    Number of mergers and acquisition (M&A) transactions in South America from 1985 to May 2024

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (39)

    Value of M&A deals South America 1990-2024

    Value of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in South America from 1990 to May 2024 (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (40)

    Leading financial advisors to M&A deals Latin America 2023, by deal value

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in Latin America in 2023, by value of deals (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (41)

    Biggest M&A inbound deals Latin America 2022

    Largest merger and acquisition (M&A) inbound deals in Latin America in 2022 (in miillion U.S. dollars)

Middle East and Africa

5

Middle East and Africa

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (42)

    Volume of M&A deals in the Middle East and North Africa 1990-2024

    Number of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) from 1990 to April 2024

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (43)

    Value of M&A transactions in the Middle East and North Africa 1990-2024

    Value of merger and acquisition deals in in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) from 1990 to May 2024 (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (44)

    Leading financial advisors to M&A Middle East and Africa 2022, by deal value

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) deals in the Middle East and Africa in 2022, by deal value (in billion U.S. dollars)

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (45)

    Leading financial advisors to M&A deals Middle East and Africa 2022, by deal volume

    Leading financial advisors to merger and acquisition (M&A) deals in the Middle East and Africa in 2022, by deal volume

  • Topic: M&As worldwide (46)

    Biggest M&A inbound deals in Africa and the Middle East 2022, by deal value

    Largest merger and acquisition (M&A) inbound deals in Africa and the Middle East in 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

Topic: M&As worldwide (2024)

FAQs

How to answer the question "Why M&A"? ›

I have always been captivated by how companies negotiate and structure deals to yield successful outcomes.
  1. During my undergraduate studies in Business Administration, I took an M&A course that sparked my interest in this field. ...
  2. I further developed my passion for M&A during my internship at ABC Investment Bank.

Discover More Details ›
Why do up to 90% of mergers and acquisitions fail? ›

Factors Contributing to the High Failure Rate

Too often, deals are struck without considering cultural fit between companies or developing clear integration plans. M&As aren't just about gaining market share; they're also about creating shareholder value by achieving operational efficiencies post merger.

Discover More Details ›
What are some examples of successful M&As and why did they succeed? ›

The successful Linde AG and Praxair merger would lessen the competition in a supply chain. As a result of the proposed merger, a combined company appeared — Linde plc. This merger of equals is considered one of the largest and most successful M&A deals, costing about $80 billion.

View More ›
What is the largest M&A deal ever? ›

1. Vodafone and Mannesmann (1999) - $202.8B ($373B adjusted for inflation) As of March 2024, the takeover of Mannesmann by Vodafone in 2000 was still one of the largest acquisitions ever made.

See Details ›
Why is M&A hard? ›

There is a ton of paperwork and data to comb through during a deal. Anyone in M&A must know how to do data gathering, data analysis, and accurate reporting. Analysts can't afford to make mistakes when making pitchbooks and financial models.

Get More Info Here ›
What are the reasons for mergers and acquisitions M&A activity? ›

Reasons for Mergers and Acquisitions
  • To grow the business.
  • To achieve revenue synergies.
  • To achieve economies of scale.
  • To diversify.
  • To vertically integrate the business.
  • To avail of tax benefits.
  • For knowledge transfer.
Jul 10, 2024

Learn More Now ›
What are the most frequent source of failure in M&A? ›

Value destruction, poor communication and integration, and cultural differences are some of the most common reasons. If these issues are not addressed, it can be very difficult to make a merger or acquisition a success. Lastly, another common reason for failure is that the two companies simply are not compatible.

Explore More ›
What are the three common challenges in mergers and acquisitions? ›

Addressing the 5 Major Challenges in M&A
  • Inability to identify a deal's value drivers. ...
  • Inability to measure synergies between two or more companies. ...
  • Failure to address cultural differences at the integration phase. ...
  • Inadequate due diligence. ...
  • Underestimating small details.

Learn More ›
What factors have led to the decline in M&A? ›

10 Reasons Why Mergers and Acquisitions Fail
  • Overpaying.
  • Overestimating synergies.
  • Insufficient due diligence.
  • Misunderstanding the target company.
  • Lack of a strategic plan.
  • Lack of cultural fit.
  • Overextending resources.
  • Wrong time in industry cycle.
Oct 19, 2022

View Details ›
What is the most important strategy in mergers and acquisitions? ›

As soon as the mergers and acquisition is adopted, the process gets divided into several steps, which include the following: The most crucial strategy of M&A is the hunting of the target company. Once the company has decided on its target company for acquisition, it can plan further acquisition steps.

Tell Me More ›

Who benefits the most from a merger? ›

In acquisitions, the main beneficiaries include shareholders, the acquiring company, and customers of the acquired business. Shareholders receive a premium for their shares, the acquiring company gains valuable assets, and customers may experience improved products and services.

Show Me More ›
What is the greatest reason mergers and acquisitions fail? ›

Lack of a strategic plan

That is, without a good motive for a transaction, it's doomed to failure from the outset. Academic literature on M&A is replete with studies of managers engaging in 'empire building' through M&A, and research into how hubris is a common trend in M&A.

Read More ›
Which Big 4 is best for M&A? ›

Big four consulting firms: PwC pulls in more deals than Deloitte, KPMG, EY by volume.

Continue Reading ›
What industry has the most M&A activity? ›

What Are the Industries Most Likely to See Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As)? Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are most common in the healthcare, technology, financial services, and retail sectors.

Find Out More ›
What was the worst M&A deal in history? ›

The merger between AOL and Time Warner stands out as one of the most notorious acquisition failures in corporate history. When America Online acquired Time Warner, the two organizations created a combined entity valued at an estimated $361 billion, the biggest merger of its kind.

Keep Reading ›
Why would you want to work in M&A? ›

Working in M&A allows you to participate in extremely strategic operations for companies. If you work in Large Cap (on the biggest deals) you are likely to find the deals you have worked on in the economic and financial press. As you can see, the job of an M&A analyst offers many challenges.

Read On ›
How do you answer the why firm question? ›

Consider the following steps to help you prepare effective answers for an interview:
  1. Research the organisation before the interview. ...
  2. Describe the organisation's growth prospects. ...
  3. Explain what you can contribute to the company. ...
  4. Describe your desire to work for the company. ...
  5. Give specific examples. ...
  6. Discuss your goals.
Aug 10, 2023

Explore More ›
What is the reason for M&A? ›

Mergers and acquisitions serve as pivotal strategies for companies aiming to broaden their market reach and capitalize on new growth prospects. Market expansion through M&A activities allows businesses to penetrate new geographical regions or demographics, facilitating access to untapped consumer bases.

Get More Info ›
Why do you choose mergers and acquisitions? ›

Increased market share

Acquiring a competitor generally tends to allow a company to gain a larger market share, thus strengthening their market position. This is common among banks, where consolidation has led to most countries having a 'Big 4.

Get More Info Here ›

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