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

The deal also comes amid a wave of M&A activity in the beauty industry.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

The total dollar value of announced global M&A for this year’s first quarter is up 34% year over year, to $996 billion, according to London Stock Exchange Group.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

JPMorgan Chase executive Jes Staley emailed details about an M&A deal that his bank was secretly working on.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026