Deals made this week include those with Walt Disney, Harrison Global, Alcon, Steelcase, Joby Aviation, and others.
Major Mergers and Acquisitions Shape Various Sectors
In a flurry of significant deals, multiple companies have announced mergers and acquisitions across various sectors, reflecting trends like AI integration, energy demand growth, and consolidation in food retail supply chains.
Blackstone Private Equity Funds to Acquire Enverus
Blackstone, a leading private equity firm, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Enverus, a leading energy data and analytics company. This deal, valued at $11.5 billion, is subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2026. The acquisition is seen as a strategic move to capitalise on the growing demand for electricity due to AI, crypto data centers, and increased commercial and residential load.
Clearlake Capital Acquires Dun & Bradstreet
In a separate development, Clearlake Capital has announced its acquisition of Dun & Bradstreet, a business data and analytics company, for $7.7 billion including debt. The deal, which is expected to close in Q3 2025, aims to enhance AI-powered solutions leveraging Dun & Bradstreet’s global data assets. The acquisition has already been approved by shareholders.
Greencore Group Acquires Bakkavor Group
In the consumer products and services sector, Greencore Group has agreed to acquire Bakkavor Group in a deal valued at £1.55 billion. The combined entity will create a major convenience food player with combined revenues exceeding GBP 4 billion. This acquisition is significant in the chilled and ready-to-eat food sector with strong retail partnerships primarily in the UK.
Other Notable Deals
- Palo Alto Networks has experienced a price drop.
- Electric taxi maker Joby Aviation will acquire Blade Air Mobility's passenger business for up to $125 million, payable in Joby stock or cash.
- The acquisition of G Squared by Piper Sandler is contributing to momentum.
- HNI Corporation will acquire Steelcase in a cash and stock transaction.
- Aris Water Solutions has been agreed to be acquired by Western Midstream Partners in a cash and stock deal valued at ~$1.5B.
- MasterBrand will combine with American Woodmark via an all-stock merger.
- Nike, Microsoft, and Sarepta are among the top analyst picks this week.
- Alcon has agreed to acquire all outstanding shares of STAAR Surgical common stock for $28 per share in a cash transaction.
- Harrison Global has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Myth Korea.
- Zebra Technologies has agreed to acquire Elo Touch Solutions for $1.3 billion in cash.
- Piper Sandler has announced a robust advisory pipeline and the acquisition of G Squared.
- Walt Disney's ESPN has reached a non-binding deal with the National Football League (NFL) to acquire key NFL media assets.
These deals represent major strategic moves in energy infrastructure, business intelligence, and consumer food sectors, underscoring the ongoing trend of consolidation and innovation across various industries.
The surge in U.S. M&A activity in late summer 2025, driven by stabilizing economic conditions, anticipation of Fed interest rate cuts, and increased private equity participation, has made it the highest-volume M&A period since 2021 for U.S. companies.
The strategic move by Blackstone Private Equity Funds to acquire Enverus and Clearlake Capital's acquisition of Dun & Bradstreet demonstrate how finance is playing a significant role in shaping the energy and business data and analytics sectors, respectively. Additionally, the acquisition of Greencore Group by Bakkavor Group showcases the finance-backed consolidation trend in the consumer food sector.
