Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Business

UK takeover surge hits £74bn in first half of 2025, highest since 2021

by July 2, 2025
July 2, 2025
UK takeover surge hits £74bn in first half of 2025, highest since 2021

The UK is on pace for its busiest year of takeovers since 2021, with £74 billion in bids tabled for British companies in the first six months of 2025, according to new research from broker Peel Hunt. The surge is being fuelled by both domestic consolidation and aggressive moves by overseas private equity, particularly from the United States.

Peel Hunt’s analysis highlights that takeover activity is being driven by a mix of public-to-private deals and strategic acquisitions, as undervalued UK assets continue to attract suitors. Notably, contested takeovers are at their highest levels in five years, signalling a more competitive and heated M&A environment.

US firms have played a major role in the resurgence, accounting for over a quarter of bidders so far this year. Private equity firms from the US alone were involved in 14 per cent of all bid situations. Meanwhile, UK-based acquirers have ramped up significantly, representing 63 per cent of buyers—well above the 46 per cent average over the past five years.

Michael Nicholson, head of advisory and M&A at Peel Hunt, said the shift reflects a growing confidence among UK corporates and investors: “US PE firms have met their match in the form of UK-listed consolidators. The benefits of greater scale and more liquidity, while preserving key assets and high-quality businesses in the UK markets, have become increasingly persuasive factors for boards and shareholders.”

The data suggests that a weakened pound and relatively depressed UK equity valuations continue to make British firms attractive targets. However, the recent increase in activity has raised concerns among regulators.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is investigating a sharp rise in deal leaks after new figures revealed that nearly 40 per cent of takeovers were reported in the media before any official announcement. According to a freedom of information request by the Financial Times, 42 of the 110 M&A announcements made between April 2024 and May 2025 involving London-listed companies were leaked ahead of formal disclosure.

The FCA has opened 33 investigations into potential market abuse since 2020 and expressed particular concern over “strategic leaks” being used as a tactic during ongoing deal negotiations—such as attempts to deter rival bidders or influence market reaction.

In a market notice issued in March, the FCA said: “We are concerned…by strategic leaks where inside information is deliberately given to the press by individuals at an issuer or its advisers.”

The watchdog is now urging companies and their advisers to tighten controls and take greater care in handling sensitive deal information, as confidence in market integrity becomes increasingly critical in a busy M&A landscape.

With further consolidation anticipated across sectors such as tech, healthcare and financial services, and valuations still seen as attractive, the UK’s deal pipeline shows little sign of slowing as 2025 enters its second half.

Read more:
UK takeover surge hits £74bn in first half of 2025, highest since 2021

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Santander agrees £2.65bn deal to buy TSB from Sabadell
next post
State Department unveils patriotic ‘America First’ rebrand as part of sweeping makeover

You may also like

UK Rental Market Records Record 9.2% Price Surge,...

April 18, 2024

Mark Cuban’s poll reveals surprising preference for Trump...

September 1, 2024

How to improve the efficiency of your food...

May 5, 2023

How to Boost Employee Morale with Thoughtful Corporate...

June 11, 2025

Government launches £40 million fund to unlock 5G...

August 1, 2023

The Impact of the Online Safety Act on...

October 27, 2024

Carbon emissions from UK rail travel lower than...

June 30, 2023

Asda faces staff backlash after scrapping 10,000 manager...

March 1, 2025

Holistic Home Care: What It Really Means and...

June 25, 2025

Companies House is dysfunctional and facilitates fraud, ministers...

November 8, 2022

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Consensus grows that house prices will barely rise in 2025 as Savills and Rightmove slash forecasts

      July 24, 2025
    • Families face red tape nightmare with inheritance tax on pensions from 2027

      July 24, 2025
    • EU and US close in on trade deal with 15% tariffs as Brussels prepares retaliatory strike

      July 24, 2025
    • Santander under fire as ‘free for life’ business banking customers hit with fees

      July 24, 2025
    • Is AI in the Classroom Changing What It Means to Be a Certified Teacher?

      July 24, 2025
    • Subtitles Got Jokes: Testing AI Caption Generators for Comedic Timing and Sass

      July 24, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,563)
    • Investing (2,143)
    • Politics (16,174)
    • Stocks (3,225)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved