BCG has published a mergers and acquisitions report—covering M&A activity by year, the state of the M&A market, and perspectives on dealmaking trends—annually since 2003. Explore the full series, including the latest BCG M&A report.
For many companies, the goal of creating value from mergers and acquisitions has been elusive. BCG has long studied M&A activity by year to understand evolving trends and to identify what the activity means for value creation in the short and long terms.
Since 2003, our annual M&A report has presented analyses of buy-side and sell-side transactions tracked in our BCG M&A database, which now comprises nearly 1 million deals dating back to 1980. This year’s report examines the common pitfalls and success factors involved in setting up M&A organizations. It also considers how intensified regulatory scrutiny has affected closing timelines and how companies can adapt integration planning to maximize deal value and the employee experience. Collectively, our M&A reports offer a longitudinal view of the market’s evolution and the methods that successful dealmakers use to create value.
The dashboard enables you to easily track M&A activity by year and explore patterns across different industries and regions.
This year’s report has four chapters. BCG's M&A experts first examine current M&A activity—globally and regionally. Then, they reveal how dealmakers set up their M&A organizations for success and how they adapt their integration planning to account for the uncertainty of closing timelines.
Global M&A activity remains below historical norms, even as activity has rebounded from last year’s trough.
BCG experts in seven regions of the globe describe the state of play in their M&A market and share insights about near-term deal drivers.
Top-notch deal teams collaborate with business units to identify targets, execute transactions, and expertly navigate a minefield of risks.
A BCG study finds that timelines for deal closure have lengthened, especially for larger transactions.
A number of success factors have withstood the test of time, proving to be as significant in our updated analyses as when we first identified them.
M&A activity is rebounding after hitting a low point early this year. Sustainability, digitization, and capital scarcity are leading factors shaping the dealmaking outlook.
BCG experts in six regions discuss the state of play in their M&A market and share insights about near-term deal drivers.
Expert dealmakers persist through tough times, seeking bargains or planning divestitures. Our research and experience point to alternative dealmaking approaches that enhance flexibility.
Since our first annual M&A report in 2003, we have complemented our analyses of M&A activity and trends with strategic insights into how companies can create value from mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. The reports have covered a broad range of macroeconomic environments and industry perspectives, focusing on both traditional and alternative deal types. Across the reports, our analyses pinpoint what infrequent dealmakers can learn from their more experienced counterparts’ success.
The authors of our annual mergers and acquisitions reports examine M&A activity by year to spotlight trends and opportunities. Meet some of our M&A experts.
During the first nine months of 2024, BCG’s Transaction Center conducted the research that underpins BCG’s 2024 M&A Report.
The authors are grateful for the support provided by Paderborn University.
