2026 M&A Leaks Report

Annual research from SS&C Intralinks and the M&A Research Centre (MARC) at Bayes Business School draws on nearly two decades of global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) data. The analysis tracks leak activity across markets and sectors, while examining how early disclosures impact deal outcomes.

The 2026 M&A Deal Leaks report builds on those findings and goes a step further, examining what makes some transactions more vulnerable than others and challenging common assumptions about where information risk lies.

Drawing on 16,764 global M&A bids announced between 2009 and 2025, this year’s expanded analysis explores:

• Yearly and long-term leak trends across regions and sectors
• Leak patterns by deal size and structure
• How information risk changes as deals span borders, industries and larger advisory teams
• How leaks influence deal dynamics and outcomes
• Why complexity raises the stakes for information control