Value of world’s 10 largest M&A hits $1.46 trillion

The value of the 10 largest mergers and acquisitions in history amounted to about $1.46 trillion, as the value of the largest deal between America Online and Time Warner amounted to about $350 billion, while the second largest merger and acquisition deal in the world amounted to about $278 billion between the Chinese Shenhua Group and China Guodian Company.

According to “Al-Anbaa”, the following is a review of the most prominent mergers and acquisitions that the world has witnessed, and extracting lessons learned from them, including how to maximize added value and achieve strategic goals:

1- America Online and Time Warner

This deal was distinguished by being the largest in the field of mergers and acquisitions in the world at the time, as its total value amounted to $350 billion, as the deal combined the huge internet customer base owned by America Online and the huge media assets of Time Warner.

2- China’s Shenhua and China Guodian

August 2017 witnessed a turning point in the world of energy, as the Chinese government approved the merger of the two Chinese energy giants, Shenhua Group and Guodian, at a value of $278 billion. This merger, which is considered one of the largest mergers in history, resulted in the establishment of the largest energy company in the world, namely the State Energy Investment Group. This merger came in line with the state’s vision to build giant national companies capable of competing globally, as well as reducing dependence on coal and reducing carbon emissions.

3- ChemChina and Sinochem

The merger of the two state-owned giants Sinochem and ChemChina, at a value of $245 billion, aimed to unify their efforts in the field of agriculture and enhance their research capabilities in the fields of chemistry and environmental protection, in addition to enhancing their financial capabilities.

4- United Technologies and Raytheon

2019 witnessed a historic deal to merge Raytheon and United Technologies, worth $121 billion, to form a new industrial powerhouse in the field of defense and aviation. This strategic merger, which is considered one of the largest deals in the sector, combined the expertise of the two companies, allowing them to expand their business and increase their competitiveness in the global market.

5- Merger of Dow Chemical and DuPont

On August 31, 2017, the merger between Dow Chemical and DuPont was successfully completed, worth $130 billion, to form a new entity called Dow DuPont. The main goal of this merger was to enhance cooperation between the two companies and exploit the available opportunities to achieve greater growth and higher profits. This merger is expected to contribute to achieving revenue growth of up to $1 billion. 6- Pfizer and Warner Lambert

In a historic deal that shook the pharmaceutical world, Pfizer acquired its competitor Warner Lambert in 2000 for $90 billion. This huge merger made Pfizer the second largest pharmaceutical company in the world, and gave it control over the successful drug Lipitor. This merger strengthened Pfizer’s power in the market, as it doubled the size of its sales team, and sought to achieve significant economic savings.

7- Microsoft and Activision Blizzard

In January 2022, technology giant Microsoft announced a historic deal to acquire Activision Blizzard, the owner of the most famous global games, at an initial value of $68.7 billion. After more than a year and a half, the deal was completed in October 2023 at a final value of $75.4 billion, making it the largest acquisition deal in the history of the gaming industry ever.

8- Walt Disney and 21st Century Fox

In March 2019, The Walt Disney Company concluded one of the largest acquisition deals in the history of the entertainment industry, by purchasing key assets from 21st Century Fox, worth $71.3 billion. This huge acquisition enabled Disney to significantly expand its business, adding new and distinctive assets to its huge portfolio of content, increasing its customer base, and strengthening its position in the market.

9- ExxonMobil and Pioneer Natural

In 2024, ExxonMobil announced the completion of its strategic acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources, in a huge deal worth $59.5 billion. This giant merger resulted in a significant expansion of ExxonMobil’s influence in the Permian Basin, one of the most important shale oil and gas basins in the world, as its production area doubled significantly. 10- H.J. Heinz and Kraft Foods Group

The strategic merger of two food giants, H.J. Heinz Company and Kraft Foods Group, worth $45 billion, resulted in the establishment of the giant Kraft Heinz Company. This merger elevated the new entity to the ranks of the five largest food companies in the world, and the third largest company in the United States. Experts expect this merger to drive global sales growth for the new company, achieving cost savings estimated at $1.5 billion by 2017.