Skip to playerSkip to main content
  • 16 hours ago
Q1 2026 set a record with 22 deals valued at $10B+, surpassing the 2015 high, as total deal value rose 29% YoY despite Iran war volatility. Highlights include a $65B+ Unilever food-McCormick combination and Sysco's $29B Jetro acquisition, while smaller deals fell 17%+.
Transcript
00:00It's Benzinga, bringing Wall Street to Main Street.
00:02Large corporate deals reached a record quarterly level in 2026,
00:05despite market volatility tied to the Iran war, according to the Wall Street Journal.
00:10A total of 22 transactions valued at $10 billion or more were announced globally,
00:14surpassing the previous record of 21 deals set in the fourth quarter of 2015.
00:19Total deal value rose about 29% from a year earlier,
00:22while deal volume fell more than 17% as smaller transactions slowed.
00:26Large deals included a more than $65 billion combination of Unilever's food business
00:30with McCormick and Cisco's agreement to acquire Jetro Restaurant Depot for over $29 billion.
00:35Market volatility tied to the Iran war, oil prices above $100 per barrel,
00:40and higher interest rates slowed deal processes.
00:42Smaller deals declined, while activity remained active in sectors such as healthcare and financial services.
00:47For all things money, visit Benzinga.com.
Comments