Romania's M&A Market Sees 33% Growth, Reaching $7.1 Billion in 2026

The mergers and acquisitions market in Romania has experienced a remarkable growth of 33% in the first nine months of 2026, with the market value reaching an impressive $7.1 billion. This surge reflects the increasing interest and activity among investors in the region.

In this period, 212 transactions were recorded, showcasing a slight decrease from the 215 transactions in the same timeframe of 2025. However, the value of transactions with reported sums rose significantly, increasing by 39% to reach $4.1 billion.

Notably, approximately 60% of this transaction value was concentrated in three major deals. These include the acquisition of Carrefour Romania by Pavăl Holding for $977 million, the takeover of Evryo Group by Premier Energy for $824 million, and the acquisition of Garanti BBVA Romania by Raiffeisen Bank International for $681 million.

Despite this overall growth, the third quarter of 2026 saw no significant transactions exceeding $100 million, marking a decline of 9% in transaction volume compared to Q3 2025. Additionally, the value of reported transactions dropped by 15% during this quarter, with no deals surpassing the $100 million mark, in contrast to the previous year where a single transaction did.

The investment landscape remains dynamic, with a notable increase in foreign acquisitions, which rose by 13% to 124 transactions. However, domestic transactions between local companies saw a decrease of 10%, totaling 78 operations. Interestingly, inbound transactions outnumbered those involving sales from foreign capital companies.

Sector-wise, the Real Estate, Hospitality, and Construction sectors led with 46 operations, followed closely by Technology, Media, and Telecommunications with 40 transactions. Advanced Manufacturing and Mobility accounted for 37 deals, while the Energy and Utilities sector had 30 transactions.

The United States emerged as the leading foreign investor with 16 transactions, while France and Austria followed with 11 each. The United Kingdom had seven operations, and Poland contributed six to the mix.

As the European market for mergers and acquisitions grew by 54% and global transactions increased by 28% in the same period, Romania's M&A market demonstrates a resilient and evolving landscape, poised for future growth.