Global M&A market hits new high as bigger deals dominate
Key Highlights
- ➤M&A deal value rose 23.9% to US$1.65 billion in nine months
- ➤24 mega deals exceeded US$10 billion, the strongest nine-month start on record
- ➤Year-to-date deal volume increased 16.1% to 614 completed transactions
- ➤Quick deals reached 43% of third-quarter transactions, up from 35%
- ➤Acquirers underperformed the MSCI World Index by 10.3 percentage points in Q3
Expert Statements
David Dean, Senior Managing Director, M&A Consulting, WTW
“Large-scale transactions are continuing to transform the global M&A landscape, with companies acting decisively to expand their scale, address capability gaps and gain access to critical technologies in an increasingly competitive market.”
David Dean, Senior Managing Director, M&A Consulting, WTW
“The faster pace of dealmaking reflects an M&A environment being reshaped by AI-driven transformation, geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic uncertainty. But moving quickly cannot mean compromising thorough due diligence. Companies that put speed ahead of discipline may weaken long-term value creation and face greater challenges after a deal closes.”
David Dean, Senior Managing Director, M&A Consulting, WTW
“Corporate acquirers have demonstrated considerable resilience as market pressures persist. Despite higher interest rates, elevated energy costs and uncertainty surrounding the November U.S. midterm elections, dealmakers are likely to continue pursuing transactions that advance their strategic objectives, particularly at the larger end of the market.”
David Dean, Senior Managing Director, M&A Consulting, WTW
“As organizations increasingly use M&A to build scale, integration planning must begin during due diligence. Addressing it early will be essential to realizing value from complex transactions and supporting sustainable growth over the long term.”
NEW YORK, Oct. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- M&A deal value increased 23.9% in the first nine months of the year, rising from US$1.33 billion to US$1.65 billion compared with the same period in 2025, according to completed deals data from leading global advisory, broking and solutions company, WTW’s (NASDAQ: WTW) Quarterly Deal Performance Monitor (QDPM) (1).
Mega deals valued at over US$10 billion delivered their strongest nine-month start to a year, with 24 completed transactions surpassing the highs of the previous boom. According to WTW data produced in partnership with the M&A Research Centre at Bayes Business School, this also represents the largest nine-month rolling period on record. Momentum accelerated in the most recent quarter, with nine mega deals completed, up sharply from three in the previous quarter.
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