In this article we are going to list the 5 biggest acquisitions of all time. For a detailed coverage of this topic and a more comprehensive list please head on over to the 15 biggest acquisitions of all time.
5. Merger of China Sinograin with China National Cotton Reserves Corp.
Total purchase price (in billions of dollars): 213
Total purchases price adjusted for inflation (in billions of dollars): 222
China undertook a drive in the late 2010s to reduce the number of state owned enterprises to under 100, which resulted in the 2017 merger of China Sinograin with China National Cotton Reserves Corp.
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4. China Minmetals purchase of China Metallurgical Group
Total purchase price (in billions of dollars): 245.6
Total purchases price adjusted for inflation (in billions of dollars): 265
China Minmetals is one of the biggest metals and minerals trading company in the world, and the company handles at least 12 million tonnes of steel products every single year. The company, like most major companies in China, is owned by the state and in 2015, it acquired China Metallurgical Group, which was an engineering and mining group, as part of China’s attempt to overhaul the metal industry of the state.
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3. AOL merger with Time Warner
Total purchase price (in billions of dollars): 182
Total purchases price adjusted for inflation (in billions of dollars): 270
Ah, the ill-fated purchase of Time Warner by AOL, which is the poster child of disastrous acquisitions and short-term strategy thinking. AOL purchased Time Warner, even though Time Warner had way more assets as well as revenues. The thinking behind this strategy was that Time Warner would be able to become part of the digital revolution and the acquisition will allow Time Warner to rocket forward and beat its competitors. As history shows, things didn’t quite work out that way. In 2002, AOL Time Warner posted a loss of $99 billion, which was the biggest loss in history at the time, and the company didn’t last long, being renamed Warner Media by 2003. Even now, the $99 billion loss is still one of the biggest losses ever made by any company in the world. Warner Media is currently owned by the biggest telecommunications company in the world, AT&T (NYSE:T)
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2. Vodafone Airtouch (NASDAQ:VOD) purchase of Mannesmann
Total purchase price (in billions of dollars): 183
Total purchases price adjusted for inflation (in billions of dollars): 281
Vodafone is a British telecommunications industry, which is one of the biggest in the world. The company has operations in several continents including Europe, Asia, Oceania and Africa. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange as well as the New York Stock Exchange, and has operations in 22 countries. In 1999, the company purchased German conglomerate Mannesmann, which was a major German conglomerate. The move allowed Vodafone to grow very quickly.
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1. Merger of Shenhua Group with China Guodian Corporation
Total purchase price (in billions of dollars): 278
Total purchases price adjusted for inflation (in billions of dollars): 290
Topping the list of the 5 biggest acquisitions in history is the merger of Shenhua Group with China Guodian Corporation. The restructuring was announced by the state in 2017, and is even now the biggest acquisition in history. China Guodian Corporation was absorbed by Shenhua Group as part of the restructuring, which also resulted in the company being renamed as China Energy Investment Corporation, which is one of the biggest mining and energy companies in China. The company is completely owned by the Chinese government,
See also: 11 Worst Tech Mergers and Acquisitions Ever and 10 biggest tech acquisitions in history
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