Arthur Cox and A&L Goodbody at forefront of M&A activity in Ireland

M&A activity in Ireland is thriving, with law firms Arthur Cox and A&L Goodbody leading the way. According to data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), these two firms have been advisors on M&A deals totaling just under €10bn in the first half of the year. A&L Goodbody was involved in 25 transactions valued at almost €4.3bn, while Arthur Cox advised on 23 deals worth over €5.5bn. Following closely behind is law firm Matheson, which stood at 18 deals, and Kirkland & Ellis with transactions totaling nearly €6.6bn.

Some key M&A deals involving Irish interests in 2025 include the acquisition of UK-based Bakkavor by Ireland’s Greencore for almost €1.4bn. DCC’s sale of its healthcare division for more than £1bn (€1.16bn) to HealthCo Investment, an investment unit managed by Investindustrial Advisors, was also included in the transactions surveyed by LSEG. Moreover, the potential sale of Ireland’s largest hotel group, Dalata, and the sale of Brightflag to Wolters Kluwer for €425m illustrate the ongoing M&A activity.

Other significant transactions include the pending sale of Hannover Re’s near 50% stake in AIB Merchant Services to joint venture partner Fiserv. In addition, China’s WuXi Biologics announced the sale of its vaccine facility in Dundalk to US pharma giant Merck & Co, valued at approximately €500m, with the deal still pending closure. Financial advisers Daiwa Securities, Clearwater, and Benchmark International were among the top financial advisers in M&A activities associated with Ireland in the first half of 2025.

Globally, M&A deals worth about $2.14tn were completed in the first half of 2025, marking a 26% increase from the previous period. Notably, the surge in deal values was predominantly driven by heightened M&A activity in Asia, where total transaction values doubled to $584m during the said period. The pace of M&A activity remains robust globally, with Ireland at the forefront of this thriving market, thanks to the prominent involvement of legal firms like Arthur Cox and A&L Goodbody in facilitating significant transactions.