Global M&A Report 2026 | Idea Farm

Global M&A Report 2026

Bain & Company

Research

91 Pages

January 2026

Bain’s annual M&A report shares deal value rose in 2025 to deliver the second-highest year on record in a broad-based rebound that spanned all industries. Behind this resurgence is the urgent need for companies to reinvent themselves to get out ahead of the big forces of technology disruption, a post-globalization economy, and shifting profit pools.

Key Takeaways

Megadeals: Megadeals greater than $5 billion represented more than 73% of incremental deal value as infrequent acquirers came off the sidelines.

Capital Allocation: Despite the rebound in activity, the relative share of capital allocated to M&A is at a low of 7%.

AI: Almost half of strategic technology deal value for deals greater than $500 million came from AI natives or deals that cited AI benefits in 2025.

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