M&A

American  

abbreviation

Finance, Business.

1. mergers and acquisitions: the practice of incorporating parts (or all) of another enterprise, either by combining two or more companies into one or by purchasing some or all of another company's assets, as a way of strategically enhancing or growing a business.

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Etymology

Origin of M&A

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

“We have long thought about the combination, and will bring to it lessons learned from our own M&A journey.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Additional stress is generated by the recent uptick in M&A activity, which has led to higher new bond issuance, just as rising public deficits suggest increased sovereign-bond supply.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

“While McCormick’s M&A track record is a positive precedent, the scale of this potential transaction represents a substantially greater order of magnitude,” Powers wrote on Tuesday.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

“Expanding organically requires boots on the ground. Expanding through M&A, it’s the quality of the team that could execute,” Dixon said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Global M&A activity for the first quarter increased 34% year over year to $996 billion, driven by economic growth.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026