1. Walt Disney and 21st Century Fox: In 2019, Disney acquired 21st Century Fox’s film and television assets for $71.3 billion, allowing Disney to expand its content library and increase its global reach.
2. Bayer and Monsanto: In 2018, Bayer completed its acquisition of Monsanto for $63 billion, creating a global leader in agriculture and crop sciences.
3. AT&T and Time Warner: In 2018, AT&T acquired Time Warner for $85.4 billion, combining a telecommunications giant with a media powerhouse to create a vertically integrated media company.
4. CVS Health and Aetna: In 2018, CVS Health acquired Aetna for $69 billion, reshaping the healthcare industry by bringing together a pharmacy chain and a health insurer.
5. Amazon and Whole Foods: In 2017, Amazon acquired Whole Foods for $13.7 billion, signaling Amazon’s entry into the grocery industry and accelerating its brick-and-mortar retail presence.
6. Broadcom and Qualcomm: In 2018, Broadcom attempted to acquire Qualcomm for $117 billion, but it was eventually blocked by the US government. However, the attempted merger highlighted the push for consolidation in the semiconductor industry.
7. Cigna and Express Scripts: In 2018, Cigna acquired Express Scripts for $54 billion, bringing together a health insurance provider with a pharmacy benefit manager to create a combined entity focused on managing healthcare costs.
8. Marriott and Starwood Hotels: In 2016, Marriott International acquired Starwood Hotels & Resorts for $13 billion, creating the world’s largest hotel company with a portfolio of 30 brands.
9. Dow Chemical and DuPont: In 2017, Dow Chemical merged with DuPont in a $130 billion all-stock merger, creating a major industry player in the chemicals sector.
10. Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller: In 2016, Anheuser-Busch InBev acquired SABMiller for $103 billion, creating the world’s largest beer company and consolidating many major beer brands under one umbrella.