Greater than half of worldwide chief executives are getting ready to pursue acquisitions in 2026 as firms more and more use mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to speed up transformation, enhance productiveness and safe progress.
That is in keeping with the EY-Parthenon 2026 CEO Outlook, a survey of 1,200 CEOs.
The report reveals that 53% of CEOs intend to pursue acquisitions within the subsequent 12 months, reflecting renewed confidence in dealmaking as a strategic lever somewhat than merely a path to scale.
EY-Parthenon stated international M&A exercise rebounded strongly in 2025, marked by each scale and sectoral variety.
Though know-how remained probably the most lively sector, pushed by demand for AI capabilities, digital infrastructure and next-generation platforms, the rebound in dealmaking was broad-based.
Healthcare, vitality, industrials, client items and {financial} companies additionally recorded robust exercise, reflecting firms’ efforts to reposition portfolios and adapt to altering market dynamics.
In keeping with the report, CEOs are more and more viewing M&A as an extension of their enterprise-wide transformation agenda.
On the prime of acquisition targets, 50% of CEOs cited operational optimisation and productiveness good points, together with digitalisation.
This, EY-Parthenon stated, underscores a shift in considering: “M&A is not merely a path to scale, however a catalyst for accelerating operational modernisation and embedding superior know-how capabilities quicker than natural funding.”
As well as, 45% of CEOs prioritised accelerating top-line progress by way of acquisitions, highlighting ambitions to enter new markets, strengthen aggressive positioning and seize adjoining demand.
Bettering buyer engagement and retention, decreasing prices, and enhancing product and course of innovation have been additionally recognized as key motivations, aligning M&A with broader transformation targets.
The report famous that the defining benefit of M&A is pace.
Whereas natural transformation usually requires years of funding and cultural change, focused acquisitions can shortly ship capabilities, expertise, know-how and market entry, permitting firms to compress timelines and overcome inner constraints.
“Whether or not buying an AI-native enterprise or an organization with superior operational practices, M&A permits organisations to drag ahead the advantages of transformation,” the report stated.
Past acquisitions, CEOs are additionally more and more utilizing joint ventures and strategic alliances to advance transformation.
The survey discovered that 79% of CEOs plan to pursue alliances or joint ventures in 2026, up sharply from 62% in 2025, reflecting the enchantment of partnerships as a quicker, lower-risk path to new capabilities.
Regardless of the rebound, cross-border M&A continues to face geopolitical headwinds.
Rising nationwide safety evaluations, overseas funding screening, sanctions and antitrust scrutiny have elevated deal complexity, whereas greater rates of interest and uneven post-pandemic recoveries have favoured home consolidation.
Though the US remained the biggest vacation spot for cross-border offers, accounting for 30% of deal worth and 17% of quantity in 2025, its share has declined in contrast with earlier years.
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Three days earlier, Netflix revised its $83 billion cash-and-stock bid to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) studios and streaming enterprise into an all-cash supply, a transfer seen as a technique to counter Paramount Skydance’s hostile bid.
Final week, Stripe-owned Nigerian fintech, Paystack, formally entered Nigeria’s banking house following its acquisition of Ladder Microfinance {Bank}, marking a serious growth past funds into full-stack {financial} companies.